FLYCATCHERS 317 



A nest containing three fresh eggs was found June 20, 1895 

 at Orono. This was saddled on the branch of an elm tree 

 thirty feet from the ground and on the shore of the Stillwater 

 River. The nest was composed of fine dry grass, Usnea, 

 Evernia and other lichens, lined with fine materials of the same 

 nature. This nest was very profusely decorated with lichens 

 exteriorly. Its outside height was one and a quarter and its 

 inside depth three quarters inch, the diameter exteriorly 

 three and a half and interiorly two inches. The eggs measure 

 0.73 X 0.55, 0.71 x 0.55, 0.72 x 0.55. 



The incubation period is thirteen days and the young leave 

 about eighteen days after hatching. Only one brood is reared. 

 The food consists of various insects caught on the wing. The 

 birds are very partial to perching in exposed positions on dead 

 limbs, whence the name of "Dead Limb Bird." 



Genus EMPIDONAX Cabanis. 



463. Empidonax flaviventris Baird. Yellow-bellied Fly- 

 catcher. 



Plumage : above dark olive green, becoming fuscous on wings and tail ; 

 the wing coverts tipped with whitish or yellowish white ; below sulphur 

 yellow on belly and same with some olive green tinge on throat, breast and 

 sides ; upper mandible black, lower whitish ; first primary shorter than the 

 fifth. Immature plumage ; wing bars more prominent and yellower and the 

 under parts stronger yellow. Wing 2.50 ; culmen 0.50 ; tarsus 0.66. 



Geog. Dist. — Eastern North America, west to Manitoba and Minnesota ; 

 breeds from Berkshire County, Mass., northern Maine and the northern por- 

 tion of adjacent States northward to Labrador; winters in Mexico and 

 Central America ; casual in Greenland. 



County Records. — Androscoggin ; (Walter, B. A. C. p. 23). Aroostook ; 

 found throughout the county in the deeper woods, breeds, (Knight) ; Cum- 

 berland ; quite rare transient, (Brown, C. B. P. p. 18). Franklin; rare 

 summer resident, (Richards) ; common summer resident, (Sweet). Hancock; 

 rare summer resident, (Knight). Kennebec ; rare, (Gardiner Branch). 

 Knox; summer resident, (Norton). Oxford; breeds at Richardson Lake, 

 (Osborne, B. N. 0. C. 4, 240). Penobscot; quite common local summer resident 

 of the deeper woods, (Knight). Piscataquis ; one observed, (Allen) ; have one 

 taken near Dover, (Ritchie). Somerset ; not common migrant, (Morrell) ; 



