TYRANNID^ — THE FLYCATCHERS. 377 



eggs, and is incorrect as to its northern distribution. He speaks of it as 

 extremely pugnacious, chasing from its premises every intruder, and when 

 once mated seldom leaving the vicinity of its nest except in pursuit of 

 food. His description of the nest applies to that of the minimus, but not 

 to that of this species. 



Mr. Eidgway writes me that in Southern Illinois it is the most abundant 

 of the Empidonaces, breeding in the same woods with E. trailli. It is so 

 exceedingly similar to that species in manners and general habits that they 

 are hard to distinguish, and it requires a long acquaintance with the two 

 in the woods to learn to distinguish them when seen or heard. A close 

 attention, however, shows that the notes of the two are quite distinct. 



Mr. Dresser mentions finding this species not uncommon near San An- 

 tonio, Texas, during the summer. Its stomach was found to contain small 

 insects. Dr. Woodhouse also speaks of it as common in Texas, New 

 Mexico, and tlie Indian Territory, but at Avhat season is not mentioned. 



Dr. Hoy writes me that this bird, quite common about Kacine some 

 twenty-five years ago, has now almost entirely disappeared. 



Near Washington Dr. Coues found this Flycatcher a common summer 

 resident, the most abundant of the kind, and the only one that breeds there 

 in any numbers. They arrive the last of April, and remain until the last 

 of September. 



A beautiful nest of this species was found by Mr. George 0. Welch near 

 Indianapolis, Indiana. It was fully identified, and the parent shot. This 

 nest has a diameter of four inches, and a height of two. Its base is com- 

 posed to a large extent of dried grasses, intermingled with masses of with- 

 ered blossoms of different herbaceous plants. Above tliis is constructed a 

 somewhat rudely interwoven nest, composed entirely of long, fine, wiry stems 

 of grasses. The cavity is two inches wide and less than one in depth. The 

 eggs, three in number, are exceedingly beautiful, and differ from all the 

 eggs of this genus, having more resemblance to those of Contopi. They 

 have an elongated oval shape, and are quite pointed at one end. They 

 measure .78 by .56 of an inch. Their ground is a rich cream-color, tinged 

 with a reddish-brown shading, and at the larger end the eggs are irregularly 

 marked with scattered and vivid blotches of red and reddish-brown. The 

 nest was found on the 3d of June. 



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