362 



NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



mingled with liomi)-like fibres of jilants, stems, and fine dry grasses. Tlie 

 rim is firmly wrought of strong wiry stems, and a large jiortidn dl' the inner 

 nest is of the same material. The wliole is warmly and thorougldy lined 

 with the suit fine iiair ul' small qnadrui)eds and with vegetable fila-es. 



Aecording to Mr. Kidgwa /, tliis is tlie most al>undant and generally difTused 

 of all tiie y'l/nnniii/i of the (ireat l'.asin, as well as of California. It inhab- 

 its every grove of the lowest valleys, as well as the higla^st aspen coj)ses on 

 the mountains in tiie aljiine region, and l)reeds abundantly in all these 

 places, liesemliling the eastern C. rimis in its general habits, its aiipearance, 

 and its every motion, it yet diifers mo.«t widely from it in notes, tiie com- 

 mon one being a disagrcealili! weird squeak, very unlike tiie sad, wailing, 

 but not unpleasant one of the eastern Wood IVwee. INIr. Kidgway relates 

 tliat having shot a female bird, and taken her nest and eggs, he was surprised, 

 a few days afterwards, to find the male witii another mate, and a new nest 

 built ill ])re(;isely the same spot from which the other had been taken. 

 U]ioii climbing to the nest, it was found to contain one egg ; and the parents 

 exliiliited very unusual distress. Wlien visited two or three days after, it 

 was found to be deserted aiul tlie egg broken. 



The eggs, three in number, measure .(it) of an incli in length and .53 in 

 breadth. They liave a ground of beautiful cream-color slightly tinged with 

 a roseate tint, surrounded at the larger end with a wreath of pin-jde and 

 reddish-brown sjiots. A few smaller markings are sparingly distributed, but 

 nearly all are about the larger end. 



Gencs EMFIDONAZ, C".\h.\\is. 



EmpidoMtx, Caiianis, Journal fiir Oniitliologic, III, Nov. 1855, 480. (Type, Tijrannula 



jmsilla.) Tjtriiiiiiuht of most aiithoivs. 



Gen. Char. Tarsus loiigthuiioil, cousidoralily loiifrer tliaii the hill, and pxooptlinp: the 



middle toe. whii'h is deeiiledly longer than 

 llie hind toe. IJili vai'iahle. Tail very 

 sliu'htly linked, even, or ronnded ; a little 

 shorter only than the wings, whieli are 

 eoiisideralily rounded ; the first primary 

 nuieh shorter than the fourth. Head 

 nioilerately crested. Color olivaceous 

 above, yello'vish beneath ; throat geiierally 

 gray. 



The lengthened tarsi, the short 

 toes, the siiort and rouinU'd wings, 

 and the plain dull olivaceous of the 

 plumage, readily distinguish the 



Einpiflnnax acadicus. 



species of this genus from any other Xortli American Flycatcliers. The 

 ui)l)er plates of tlie tarsi in a good many species do not encircle tlie outside, 

 but meet there a row on tlie posterior face. 



