tyranxid-t; — TnE flycatchers. 377 



e<j;;,'s, and is incorrect as to its nortlicrn distrilmtion. Ho speaks of it as 

 extremely i)ugnacious, chasing from its i)remisus every intruder, and when 

 once mated seldom leaving tlio vicinity of its nest except in pursuit of 

 food. His description of the nest applies to that of the minimus, hut not 

 to that of til is species. 



Mr. Kidgway writes nic that in Southern Hlinois it is the most abundant 

 of tlie Emi>i(lon(urs, In-eeding in tlic same woods witli E. irailli. It is so 

 exceedingly similar to that species in manners and general habits that they 

 are liard to distinguish, and it rccjuires a long acquaintance with tlie two 

 in the woods to learn to distinguish tlicm wlien seen or heard. A close 

 attention, however, shows that the notes of the two are (piite distinct. 



Mr. Dresser jnentions finding tliis si)ccies not uncommon near San An- 

 tonio, Texas, during the summer. Its stomach was found to contain small 

 insects. Dr. AVoodhouso also speaks of it as common in Texa.s, New 

 Mexico, and the Tnilian Territory, but at what season is not mentioned. 



Dr. Hoy writes me that this bird, quite common about llaciue some 

 twenty-five years ago, lias now almost entirely disappeared. 



Near AYashington Dr. Cones found this Flycatcher a common summer 

 resident, the most almndant of the kind, and the only one that breeds there 

 in any numbers. Tliey arrive the last of April, and remain until the last 

 of September. 



A beautiful nest of this species was found by Mr. George 0. Welch near 

 Indianapolis, Indiana. It was fully identified, and the parent shot. This 

 nest lias a diameter of four inches, and a height of two. Its base is com- 

 posed to a large extent of dried grasses, intermingled with masses of with- 

 ered blossoms of diflerent herbaceous plants. Above this is constructed a 

 somewhat rudely interwoven nest, composed entirely of long, fine, wiry stems 

 of grasses. The cavity is two inches wide and less than one in depth. The 

 eggs, three in number, are exceedingly beautiful, and differ from all the 

 eggs of this genus, having more resemblance to those of Contopi. They 

 have an elongated oval shape, and are quite pointed at one end. They 

 measure .78 by .56 of an inch. Their ground is a rich cream-color, tinged 

 with a reddish-brown shading, and at the larger end the eggs are irregularlj- 

 marked with scattered and vivid blotches of red and reddish-brown. The 

 nest was found on the 3d of June. 



VOL. II. 48 



