FLYCATCJIEES 371 



after there than within the forage range of the low-dwelling species of 

 flycatchers. 



No nests of the Hammond Flycatcher came to our notice, but birds 

 taken in late June, 1915, gave indubitable evidence of nesting. 



Traill Flycatcher. Empidonax trailli trailli (Audubon) 



Field characters. — Similar to those for Wright Flycatcher (which see). Coloration 

 above more brownish, beneath less deeply grayish than in that species, nearly white. 

 Voice: A rather soft though staccato whit', or quip', given sometimes 2 or 3 times in 

 quick succession; also a song consisting of many repetitions of a phrase resembling 

 wheet-p 'teer. 



Occurrence. — Common summer visitant locally in Sonoran Zones, and lower part of 

 Transition Zone (chiefly in Yosemite Valley), on west slope of Sierra Nevada; also in 

 Transition Zone in vicinity of Mono Lake. Restricted to willow thickets of broad 

 bottomlands. Met with in pairs which keep close to cover among the willow stems. 



The Traill Flycatcher is essentially a bird of the extensive tracts of 

 willows marking the meandering stream courses in the broader bottom- 

 lands. In the Yosemite region it is most abundant in the Merced river- 

 bottom near Snelling. Yet it finds conditions favorable again, after the 

 long interval of narrow canon, on the floor of Yosemite Valley and is 

 fairly common there during the midsummer season. It occurs in the same 

 season east of the mountains, along the lower stream courses in the vicinity 

 of Mono Lake. The bird's soft-toned yet short call notes, resembling some- 

 what those of the Russet-backed Thrush though not so full-toned, and the 

 restricted type of habitat, must ordinarily be depended upon to identify 

 this flycatcher. No other small flycatcher is found in close association 

 with this species during the nesting season. The Traill adheres closely 

 to the cover of thickets; it must be looked for beneath the level of the 

 willow tops. It is thus very different in perch predilection from most 

 of the other Empidonaces. 



On July 30, 1915, a nest of the Traill Flycatcher wa.s found in a 

 blackberry bush which grew beside a small slough or ditch near the 

 Yosemite Valley schoolhouse. The nest was 3 feet above the ground in 

 the outer edge of the bush ; it was made of grass and weed stems and lined 

 with horsehair. It contained three small young. One parent bird was 

 about and acted with great concern ; but it was shy to the extent of keeping 

 well hidden within the foliage of the vegetation bordering the slough, 

 whence it uttered a series of anxious notes. On May 17, 1919, the Traill 

 Flycatchers were already present in Yosemite Valley. A male heard in 

 full song on that date repeated over and over again with trying sameness 

 a phrase something like wheet-p'teer. The bird was so much of the time 

 out of sight that its location was to be guessed mainly from the direction 



