:]42 NUUTII AMKKICAN lilKDS. 



Dr. KoiiiuMly stato.^ tliat after ])assiii<j; tlm moiuitains of (\ilifornia, and 

 (lesci'iidini; into iUv valley ol" the San (Jaluiol IJivcr, he IVmnd these birds 

 ^nite almndant on tht; Pnehlo Creek in New Mexico, thoni^di he had noticed 

 none previonsly. They were i,'eiierally ioiind jjerched upon tht summit of a 

 hush, from whieh thev would occasionally make short excursions in search 

 of prey. At the season in which they were observed, ^larch, they were 

 rarely fouml in j)aii's, from which he inferred they were already hatching;. 



Dr. lleermann .speaks of it as abundant throughout all California, and 

 as constructing its nests in situations similar to those of the common 

 eastern s])ecies (X y //.nvv/.s). It seems to have a marked jtredilection for the 

 vicinity of streams and lakes, where it is nearly always to be seen, i>erched 

 upon a stake or branch. It occasionally darts into the air for an insect, and 

 returns to the .same place to renew its watch and to repeat these movements. 

 The nest, comjjo.sed of nnul and mo.sses and lined wit'i hair, is placed against 

 the rocks, the rafters of a house or bridge, or against the inside of a large 

 hollow tree, and the eggs, four or I've in number, are pure white, speckled 

 ^vith red. 



Dr. Cones found this Flycatcher a very abundant and ])ermanent resident 

 in the valleys of the (Jila and ( olorado, and the more southern j>ortions of 

 the Territory of Arizona generally. It was not observed in the innuediate 

 yicinity of Fort Whijtjtle, th(tugh it was detected a few miles south of that 

 locality. As it has been found on the Tacitic coast vSO much farther north 

 than the latitude of F'ort \Vhi)»]>le, he thinks it may yet l»e met with, 

 at least as a summer visitant to that place. In his journey from Arizona 

 to the Pacific, he ascertained that it is common throughout Southern Ari- 

 zona, being, among land birds, his most constant comp.iuion on the route. 

 Terched generally in pairs u]K)n the dense yerdure that in many jtlaees 

 overhangs the river, it pursued its constant vocation of securing the va- 

 grant insects around it, constantly uttering its ])eculiar unmelodious notes. 

 In all its movements the Pewee of the F^astern States was unmistakably 

 re]»roduced. It was rathe^' shy and wary. In Southern Arizona and Cali- 

 fornia it remains tliroughout the winter, it seems to delight not only in 

 river bottoms, but also in deep mountain goi'ges and precij)itous canons 

 with small streams flowing through them. 



Dr. Newberry found this species (juite common in Xorthern California, 

 and specimens were also obtained as lar to the n<uth as the Cmptpia Valley 

 in Oregon. According to Dr. Coo])er it is an abuntlant and resident sjiecies in 

 all the lower ])arts of Caliiornia, exce])t the Colorado Valley, where he found 

 none later than ^^arch 25, as they had all evitlently passed on farther north. 

 At San Diego, at that date, the following year (1802), all these birds had 

 nests and eggs, and were there, as elsewhere, the tirst birds to build. Their 

 nest, he states, is formed of an outer wall of mud about fiye and a (piarter 

 inches wide and three aud a half liigh. It is built like that of th«^ IJarn 

 Swallow, in little i)ellets, piled successively, as they dry, in the shape of 



