TYRANT FLYCATCHERS: Family Tyrannidae 



Overton Dowell, Jr., took several specimens at Mercer Lake, on the coast 

 of Lane County, these latter two being the only coast records except for 

 a single bird noted in Curry County by Gabrielson on May 16. We con- 

 sider it a bird of rare but regular occurrence in the northern Willamette 

 Valley, where one or more individuals is seen or taken along the Colum- 

 bia River near Portland nearly every season. 



Historically, it is interesting to know that Audubon's (1838) reference 

 to it as a bird of the "Wahlamet" (Willamette) River is the first pub- 

 lished record for the State, although it has since been recorded by a long 

 list of writers. No ornithologist could well overlook this conspicuous 

 member of the Oregon avifauna. Manuscript notes of the Biological 

 Survey are filled with references to its abundance in the sagebrush sections 

 of eastern Oregon. 



The usual nest sites are in bushes or small trees where the somewhat 

 untidy nests are built in a convenient fork (Plate 70, A). Frequently, 

 where trees are not handy, the nests are saddled on the cross arms of 

 telephone poles or built in the broken and weathered tops of fence posts. 

 Preble (ms.) found a nest on Rock Creek, Gilliam County, built on the 

 face of rocky cliffs a practice that does not seem to be common, although 

 rock rims are plentiful. The eggs are laid in early June. Our dates for 

 eggs range from May 14 to July 2.1, and most of the records are between 

 June i and 15. 



The Arkansas Kingbird, like its near relatives, is exceedingly pug- 

 nacious and promptly makes life miserable for any bird, large or small, 

 that intrudes on its chosen domain. Hawks, crows, ravens, or magpies 

 all look like fair game to this agile bird, who promptly worries them by 

 a darting, twisting attack from above until they pass the forbidden line 

 on the way out. Many farmers rejoice in the presence of this kingbird 

 because they feel that hawks are less likely to steal their poultry in the 

 face of such a noisy and pugnacious watchman. 



Ash-throated Flycatcher: 



Myiarchus cinerascens cimrascens (Lawrence) 



DESCRIPTION. "Throat and chest pale ashy, sometimes almost white on throat; 

 belly pale sulphur yellow; upper parts grayish brown; wings with two white bars, 

 quills edged with reddish brown, tertials edged with white; tail with middle 

 feathers dusky brown, the rest chiefly brown on inner webs; outer tail feathers with 

 inner web dusky at ftp, outer web distinctly whitish. Young: tail feathers rufous, with 

 dark median stripe. Length: 8.00-8.50, wing ^.8or-^.^, tail 3. 65-4. xo, bill from 

 nostril .52.-. 60, tarsus .88-. 95." (Bailey) Nest: Usually in old woodpecker holes, 

 behind strips of bark, or in cavities in stumps, built of a great variety of vegetable 

 and animal debris that is most convenient. Eggs: 3 to 6, creamy to buff, streaked 

 with purple. 

 DISTRIBUTION. General: Breeds from Washington, northern Utah, Colorado, and 



