354 Y KVCLyi\, The Alder Flycatcher i>i Massachusetts. \jOiX. 



markings approaches yellowish and lilac. With this shade appears 

 a ground of creamy pink. Sets of eggs collected in the same 

 locality show considerable variation, and the eggs of a set often 

 differ much among themselves. A peculiar set of three in my 

 collection, taken July 3, 1900, represents the minimum in measure- 

 ments, and may be described as follows : No. i is of a dull dead 

 white and is nearly immaculate, having only a very few scattered, 

 minute, dark brown dots at the larger end ; No. 2 has at the 

 larger end, in addition to the very fine dusting of dark dots, a 

 single abnormally large blotch of pale brown, with overlaying 

 fine tracery and dots of a very dark brown ; No. 3 is of a creamy 

 ground color and is beautifully marked after the typical style with 

 a fairly complete ring of pale brown blotches having darker cen- 

 tres, and with dark brown (almost black) round dots interspersed 

 among the blotches, a rich effect being thus secured. The eggs of 

 this set average .67 x .52. But the average size of eggs of ahw- 

 riim appears to be about .71 X .55. 



The Alder Flycatcher lays sets of three or four eggs, four 

 Ijeing the commoner number. It completes its nest and begins 

 laying about the middle of June. But sometimes it will not begin 

 laying until a week later. I have taken very slightly incubated 

 eggs on June 18, and fresh eggs as late as July 3. But this latter 

 date is exceptional. By the middle of July or earlier the young 

 flycatchers are out of the nest. 



In the matter of its behaviour at the nest the Alder Flycatcher, 

 in contrast to its general habits, may be fairly considered shy. It 

 is not a close sitter. I have tried repeatedly to catch the female 

 on her eggs but never but once succeeded in so doing. In this 

 exceptional case the bird undoubtedly trusted to the effective con- 

 cealment of the nest by the very thick clump of wild roses in which 

 it was placed. I stood for several seconds beside this unseen nest 

 before the bird flew. After being flushed the female flycatcher is 

 chary about showing herself in the neighborhood of the nest. So, 

 too, the male. The low pep of protest somewhere near will be 

 often the only evidence of the Flycatchers' connection with their 

 nest. 



Considerable patience has frequently to be exercised if one hides 

 and awaits the return of the female. She may return within five 



