THE WESTERN FLYCATCHER. 385 



SpokaiK'. is a t\-j)ical resurt ami a iiK-re tyro can see tliree or four nests there 

 on a June day. 



The Pewee takes the ]HibHc cjuile into lier contidence in nest bniUUng. 

 Xot only does she build in the open, without a vestige of leafy cover, but 

 when she is fully freighted with nesting material, she flies straight to the 

 nest and proceeds to arrange it with perfect nonchalance. If a nest with eggs 

 is disco\-ered in the bird's absence, she is quite likely to return and settle to 

 her eggs without a imubled thought. 



The nest is a moderately deep, well-made cup of hemi), line bark-strips, 

 grasses, and similar soft substances; and it is usually saddled upon a hori- 

 zontal limb of pine, larch, maple, alder, oak, aspen, cottonwood, etc. But, 

 occasionally, the nest is set in an upright crotch of a willow or some dead 

 sapling. Xests having such support are naturally deeper than saddled nests, 

 but the characteristic feature of both sorts is the choice of a site, quite 

 removed from the protection of leaves. The grayish tone of the bark in 

 the host tree is always accurately matched in the choice of nesting materials 

 and, if the result can lie secured in no other way, the exterior of the nest 

 is elaborately draped with cobwebs. 



-All eggs appear beautiful to the seasoned oologist, but few surpass in 

 daintv elegance the three creamy ovals of the Pewee, with their spotting of 

 quaint old browns and subdued lavenders. They are genuine anti(|ues, and 

 the connoisseur must pause to enjuy them e\en thii he lionors the prior rights 

 of Mr. and Mrs. ^1/. Richardsmui. 



No. 148. 



WESTERN FLYCATCHER. 



A. O. V. Xo. 464. Empidonax dif¥icilis Baird. 



Synonym. — Wicstkkn ^'|■.I.I.ow-RF.IJ,IKD Flyc.\tcher. 



Description. — .Idiilts: Above and on sides of breast olive or olive-green; 

 a lighter shade of same color continued across breast ; remaining underparts yel- 

 low (between sulphur and ])rimrose"), sordid on throat and sides, clearest on 

 abdoineii : bend of wing sulplnir-yellow ; a faint yellowish cy^-ring; a.xillaries and 

 lining of wings paler yellow : middle coverts and tips of greater coverts, continu- 

 ous with edging of cxjiosed secondaries, yellowish gray, forming two more or 

 less conspicuous wing-bars. I'ill brownish black above, yellow below ; feet and 

 legs hrf)wnish dusky: iris brown. Young birds are browner above and paler 

 below; wing-bars cinnanion-huflfy, (and not certainly distinguishable in color from 

 young of E. traillii). Length 5.50-6.00 (139. 7-152. 4) ; wing 2.64 (67) : tail 2.24 

 (^7): bill .47 (12): tarsus .67 (17). 



Recognition Marks. — Warbler size ; characterized by pervading yellowness ; 



