310 NB8TS AND EOQ8 OP 



in Eastern Kansas, where It arrives the first of May and begins laying early iu June. 

 Messrs. Keyes and Williams record it as a summer resident of Iowa, but not common; 

 several nests have been taken near Des Moines during the past few years.* In New 

 England the Acadian Flycatcher, which is its other name, is of rare occurrence. 

 In Ohio and the bordering States it is an abundant species. Regions timbered with 

 large trees, and overgrown with bushes, low trees, vines and weeds are its favorite 

 resorts. The birds love to penetrate the shadowy depths of the forest, and delight to 

 rear their young in the most quiet and gloomy spots. Rarely, if ever, is the nest built 

 in isolated trees, but frequently in those along lonely wagon roads or at the border 

 of woods. In these quiet retreats the observer is often startled by the bird's loud, 

 quick and emphatic note, ir?iat-d'~8e, ichat-d'-ye-see, coming from an unseen per- 

 former, who is perched in the lower branches. The distance of the nest from the 

 ground varies from three to twenty feet, and it is usually suspended in a horizontal 

 fork at the extremity of a low limb. In manner of attachment it resembles the 

 nests of the Vireos. being fastened by the brim, while the bottom is unsupported. 

 Sometimes, as when in vines or bushes, it is suspended between two parallel stems. 

 On the whole, It Is a loose, rustic fabric, made of grasses, catkins, weed-fibres and 

 shreds of bark, and when just finished considerable quantities of grass hangs from 

 the periphery of the nest, giving it a slovenly appearance. Two or three j e gs are 

 the number deposited by this species. In only two instances, out of the large number 

 which I have collected, have I found nests with four eggs, and in both cases one egg 

 was badly addled. Their color is a slight yellowish-buff of varying intensity, with 

 a decided flesh-color tint when fresh. The markings are of a light reddish, or bay 

 or rusty-brown color, and are found either in specks or spots grouped chiefly about 

 the larger end. Ten specimens offer the following sizes: .70x.53, .70x.56, .70x.53, .72 

 x.54, .75x.54. .77x.5S, .77x.56, .78x.57, .77x.56, .78x.57. An average egg measures 

 .74x.54. The eggs are not distinguishable from those of traillii, except that the 

 ground-color and markings in those of rirrsccns are generally darker. 



466. TRAILL'S FLYCATCHER. Empidomi.r tr<iil!ii Aud. Geog. Dist West- 

 ern North America, from the Mississippi Valley (Ohio, Illinois and Michigan) to the 

 Pacific, and from the Fur Countries south into Mexico. 



Common in Western woodlands, where it is generally distributed. A nest con- 

 taining a set of three eggs, collected by S. C. Evans, near San Jose, California, May 

 26. Is In my cabinet. The nest was placed in the forks of a small bush, three feet 

 from the ground. Its composition is chiefly vegetable fibres, loosely put together; 

 thf lining IB of the same material, but of finer shreds, and horse hair. The eggs 

 have a pale yellowish-buff ground-color, spotted and speckled at tho greater end 

 with light reddish and madder-brown; sizes, .73x.53, .74x.51, .74 \ 



466fi. ALDER FLYCATCHER. /:////m/o>m.r /niUtii tilnornin llr.'wst. Geog. 

 rica, from the Maritime Provinces and N.-w Kn^lam! west- 

 ward at least to Northern Michigan, ot... breeding from the southern <!;; of tlio 

 Canad northward; in wintor south to Central America. 



The Alder .-ds from the Northern United States northward, and as 



far south as South*- Illinois and Missouri. The locality usually srl.Ti.-d 

 ing BIN* by this bird is in a thick growth of alders bordering a stream, or in tin- 

 >f a lonely wood, where it is associated with tho On- Fly- 



A Preliminary Art t.iloRue of th- T'.irds of Iowa: 



*nu ll DM. M. D MIL'S of n.-ivnp. 



>'.<n< rt. Town: 1888. T 



