THE WESTERN WOOD PEWEE. 383 



No. 147. 



WESTERN WOOD PEWEE. 



A. O. U. No. 462. Myiochanes richardsonii ( Swains.). 



Synonyms. — Short-lkccki) PiiWEK. Richardson's Pewee. 



Description. — Adults: Above deep grayish brown or grayish ohvc-lirown ; 

 a lighter shade of same continued around sides and across breast, lightening on 

 chin and throat, on remaining underparts becoming white or yellowish white; 

 middle and greater coverts tipped with grayish ; outer webs of tertials edged with 

 grayish white. Bill black above, dusky (never light) below. Young birds have 

 the middle and greater coverts tipped with bufify ( forming two not inconsj)icuous 

 bars), and some bufify edging on ruiup and upper tail-coverts. This species bears a 

 curiouslv close resemblance to M. virciis of the East, insomuch that it is not 

 always i)ossible to se])arate specimens in the cabinent ; yet the two are perfectly 

 distinct in note and habit and are not suspected of intergradation. Length of 

 adult males 6.00-6.50 (152.4-165.1); wing 3.43 (87); tail 2.60 (66); hill .51 

 (13) ; tarsus .53 (13.4). Females a little smaller. 



Recognition Marks. — Sparrow size; dark coloration (appearing blackish), 

 — but much darker and a little larger than any of the Bmpidonaces. Meezeer note 

 of animated melancholy distinctive. 



Nesting. — Nest: a shallow cup df ci)ni])actc<l moss, grasses, rootlets, etc., 

 lined with fine grasses and wool or hair, and decorated externally, or not, 

 with lichens ; saddled midway or in fork of horizontal limb, chiefly at moderate 

 iieights. Eggs: usually 3, sometimes 4, creamy white, marked by largish spots of 

 distinct and obscure rufous brown or umber, chiefly in open wreath about larger 

 end. .Av. size, .71 x .55 (i8x 14). Season: June lo-July 10 ; one brood. 



General Range. — Western North America; breeding north to .Alaska and 

 Northwest Territorv, east to Manitoba and western portion of drcat Plains to 

 Texas, south to northern Mexico; south in winter over Mexico and Central 

 America to Equador, Pern, and Bolivia. 



Range in Washington. — Common summer resident and migrant east of the 

 Cascades, chicflv in coniferous forests, occasionally in open sage; less common 

 west of the mountains. 



Migrations. — Spring: c. May 15; Tacoma Ala\- 5, 1907: A'akima Ma\- 14, 

 1895, May 15, 1900; Newport May 20, 1906; Conconnully May 27, 1896. fall: 

 c. Sept. I. 



Authorities. — ["Western Woiul Pewee." Johnson. Rep. C.ov. W. T. 1884 

 (1885 I, 22. 1 fhluscicapa richardsonii. And. Orn. Biog. V. 1839, pi. 434. 

 \Contopns richardsonii, Baird, Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv. IX. 1858, 189, 190. '•Colum- 

 bia River O. T. J. K. Townsend."] Contopiis richardsoniif ? j Belding, T,. B. P. 

 D. 1890. p. 99 (Walla Walla, Dr. ]. W. \\'illiams). L'. Rh. D'. Kb. Ra. D-'. 

 J. B. E. 



Specimens.— U. of W. P'. Prov. B. E. 



