NUTTALL ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB. 15 



of its summer habitat is found to be somewhat that of its con- 

 gener. Such is the case in Pennsylvania, in Ohio and Illinois. 



Limited to about Kansas in its extension westward, Traill's 

 Flycatcher then fades into the closely allied form, known as var. 

 pusillus, which seems to inhabit the western country at large, 

 without much regard to the climatic condition which it finds. — 

 In addition to many intermediate quotations we find it from 

 Washington Territory (Cooper,) to New Mexico and Arizona 

 where I have found it almost to the Mexican line, and also in 

 southern California. 



In this wide range of country the Traill's Flycatcher appears 

 to have changed its habits very little. It is everywhere a bird 

 of the swamps and lowlands, being especially partial to the 

 running streams, whose banks are well clothed with willow, dis- 

 posed in dense thickets. This is as true of the var. pusillus in 

 the west as of Trailili in the east, and there is seen also in the 

 architecture of the nests of the two a similarity which is quite 

 remarkable, when is taken into consideration the wide extent of 

 country occupied by the two varieties. Slight variations aside, 

 which are chiefly the result of a difference in the materials used, 

 the selection of which alwa} r s largety depends upon fortuitous 

 circumstances, there is almost no difference. 



As typical then of either variety, I shall briefly describe a 

 nest of Traillii, one of a series of five, kindly presented by Dr. 

 Wheaton, and taken near Columbus, Ohio. 



It may be fairly compared with the usual structure of the 

 Summer Yellow Warbler (DcndrcBca cestiva), so well known to 

 every one, but lacks something of the compactness and neat- 

 ness shown by this species in its method of weaving together the 

 materials that make up its home. Hempen fibres compose the 

 exterior, or the hulk of the nest, while internally it is lined in true 

 Flycatcher style with fine grasses, and a slight admixture of down 

 from thistles ; the main point of all, however, is its position with 

 regard to the branches. It is built into an upright fork, the small 

 twigs that surround it being made available to secure it more 

 firmly in its place by being encircled with the stringy fibres. In 

 this particular of position correspond all of the nests of this 

 bird I have seen, as well as those of pusillus in the west. 



Taking now a nest of E. acadicus, and placing it beside the 

 others, a very striking difference is at once seen. Instead of 

 comparing it with the structures of any of the Warblers, or with 



