FLYCATCHEES 365 



song, wher, ivhee', ivhcw, or oh see' view, was heard at the faintest trace 

 of dawn; and again at the same place, on May 19, 1919, a pair over oar 

 camp closed the day with their softer puck, puck, puck, continuing until 

 after seven o'clock in the evening. Similar observations were recorded 

 elsewhere. 



At times the clear simple notes of this flycatcher are replaced momen- 

 tarily by a kingbird-like bickering and the two birds of a pair will flutter 

 far aloft around the nest site in the manner common to their noisy low-zone 

 relatives. When feeding j^oung they occasionally indulge in this sort of 

 behavior, but for the most part they are of quiet demeanor. The observer 

 may gaze into the tree tops whence the notes are proceeding for minutes 

 at a time before detecting a movement which will reveal the source. 



On June 3, 1915, an Olive-sided Flycatcher was collected from a tree 

 at the margin of the pine forest above Coulterville. Dissection showed 

 that the bird was not yet nesting and was likely still in migration. The 

 stomach of this bird contained beetles one or more of which were of species 

 which usually dwell on the ground (family Carabidae) and which do not 

 often ascend trees; presumably they were taken in one of the rare flights 

 of these insects. This species of flycatcher is known to nest regularly a 

 few miles farther to the east, at Dudley on Smith Creek, where young 

 just out of the nest were seen July 19, 1920. 



Western Wood Pewee. M3niochanes richardsoni richardsoni (Swainson) 



Field characters. — Size of Junco, with posture and habits of flycatcher. Plumage 

 above and on sides of body dark brown; middle of lower surface of body yellowish 

 white. No special markings whatever: no white flank patch, no light eye-ring, wing bars 

 wanting or else but faint. Perches in upright, straight-backed posture on lower bare 

 branches of large trees whence it darts out after flying insects. Voice: A throaty, slurred 

 zuwees, or ziveer, repeated at intervals throughout the day, more frequent (often every 

 2 or 3 seconds) in early morning and late evening. 



Occurrence. — Common summer visitant to Upper Sonoran, Transition, and Canadian 

 zones on both slopes of Sierra Nevada. Observed from Snelling (in migration) to 

 Mono Craters. Seen in Yosemite Valley throughout the summer. Arrives about second 

 week in May and departs about mid-September. Usual forage range about 15 to 40 

 feet above ground. Solitary except when caring for brood. 



The Western Wood Pewee is the commonest and most widely distributed 

 flycatcher found in the Yosemite region. In form and coloration it 

 resembles somewhat the Olive-sided Flycatcher, but it is of slenderer 

 build, lacks the white flank patches of the latter species, and the voices 

 and forage ranges of the two birds are quite different. The size, of course, 

 is much less. 



From the smaller flycatchers (genus Empidcnax), the wood pewee is 

 not very easily distinguishable on grounds of coloration alone. When 



