348 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



of Vera rruz, Imt wlietlier there as resident or as exclusively migratory he 

 was not able to state. It lias also l)een found in winter throuLi;hout Mexico. 

 Mr. J. H. Clark met witli it near Foil Webster, in New ^lexico, and descril>es 

 it as particularly abundant al>out the cojiper mines. One of the shafts near 

 the fort, and wliicli was partially filled n]), served as a sinkhole for the offal 

 of the town, and around this quite a number of these birds could always be 

 seen i?i pursuit of Hies and insects attracted to the place. Mr. Clark observed 

 that th iir sudden darting from their perch and their instantaneous return 

 were not always attended with the capture of an insect, but seemed at times 

 to be done only for anuisement or exercise. Mr. Dresser first noticed these 

 birds in November, when walking in the gardens of the arsenal at San 

 Antonio. On his journey to Eagle Pass in December, he saw several daily, 

 generally in pairs. They would perch on a bush by the roadside, occasionally 

 darting off after some insect, and, as soon as he drew near, would fly off to a 

 convenient perch some distance ahead, thus keeping in advance for miles. 

 During the months of January and February they were not uncommon, 

 but after tliat he lost sight of them altogether. They seemed to prefer 

 the open country, as he generally found them on the prairies, and never 

 in the mesquite thickets. Their stomachs were found to contain small 

 insects. 



Dr. AVoodhouse frequently met with these birds in AVestern Texas and in 

 New Alexico. They seemed more silent and more shy than the fuscus, but 

 otherwise similar in their habits. 



Dr. Kenii* rly met with this species at Bill AVilliams's Fork, Xew Mexico, 

 February lU, 1854. He states that he found them common in Texas, and as 

 far to the westward as the Great Colorado River. They built their nests 

 under the cliffs along the stream, and in notes and in every other respect 

 closelv resembled the common Pewee. 



Dr. Heermann mentions finding this species abundant in Soutliorn Cali- 

 fornia. It was more esjiecially plentiful in the fall, at the time of its migra- 

 tion southward. He also found it in New Mexico, in the northern part of 

 Texas, near El Paso, and in Sacramento Valley, though somewhat rare. In 

 migrating, it prefers the deep valleys bordered by high hills, but also occurs 

 on the open plains, where, perched on the stalk of some dead weed, or on a 

 prominent rock, it darts forth in pursuit of its prey, to return to the same 

 point. 



In Arizona, Dr. Coues found this Flycatcher common throughout the Ter- 

 ritory. At Fort AVhipple it was a summer resident. It was one of the first 

 of the migratory birds to make its appearance in spring, arriving early in 

 ^larch, and remained among the last, staying until October. It wintc.s 

 in the Colorado Valley and the southern portions of the Territory generally. 

 He found it frequenting almost exclusively open j)lains, in stunted chaparral 

 '.nd sage brush. In some other points of habits it is said to differ remark- 

 ably from our other Flycatchers. It does not habitually frequent canons, 



