NESTS AND EGGS OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



in isolated trees, often in trees on the border of woods. A typical nest 

 before me is composed of catkins weed-fibres, fine grasses and shreds 

 of bark. The nest is, I think, more compactly built than that of tmilli. 



325. Little Flycatcher — empidonax pusillus. White, with a fleshy 

 tinge, marked with reddish-brown and faint slate-colored blotches at the 

 larger end. Habits, nest and eggs counterparts of those of trailli. 



Hab. High Central Plains to the Pacific. 



325rt. Traill's Flycatcher — empidonax pusillus trailli. The follow 

 ing is taken in part from my article which appeared in the "Ornithologist 

 and Oologist" for May, 1882. The locality usually selected as a nesting 

 site by this species is in a thick growth of alders bordering a stream, or in 

 the deep solitude of a lonely wood, where it is associated with the Aca- 

 dian Flycatcher during the breeding season. In such places as these I 

 have taken dozens of nests, eggs and skins of both birds every season for 

 the past ten years, in Franklin County, Ohio. Wherever found breeding 

 ti'ailli is more abundant than is generally supposed, but from its retiring 

 habits is little known. Notwithstanding the comparison drawn by authori- 

 ties on the nests of the two birds, all that I have taken of trailli are much 

 more slovenly built than those of acadiciis. Plate III represents a typical 

 nest of Traill's Flycatcher taken in June, 1885, placed in a clump of 

 alders. They are scarcely ever placed higher than eight feet from the 

 ground, in most cases about four. In nearly all instances they are built 

 in an upright fork, and have a strong resemblance to the usual structure 

 of the Yellow Warbler, but probably lack in compactness and neatness. 

 The external or greater portion of the nest is composed of hempen fibres, 

 internally lined in true Flycatcher style with fine grasses. In some, how- 

 ever, there is a slight lining of horse-hair and of the down from the milk- 

 weed or thistle. A typical nest measures two and a half inches in height 

 and three in diameter, with a cavity one inch and a half in diameter and 

 two inches deep. In nearly all cases three eggs is the usual complement, 

 rarely four, a great many in varying stages of incubation. The 

 ground-color of the eggs is extremely variable. In some it is of a cream, 

 in others approaching buff. In four sets before me there is a striking va- 

 riation in the distribution of the markings. They are usually marked, 

 chiefly at the larger end, with large blotches of red and reddish-brown, 

 while in others the markings are simply very small dots sparingly sprinkled 

 over the surface ; in some these dottings are scarcely visible, giving them 

 the appearance of an almost unspotted surface. Six eggs exhibit the 

 following measurements: .72 by .55, .70 by .53, .70 by .152, .64 by .53, 

 .69 by .52, .70 by .53. There is scarcely any perceptible difference be- 



