Vol. XIV 
1897 
MERRILL, Birds of Fort Sherman, Idaho. 355 
season I have little doubt that some remain, as late in May I have 
watched them apparently breaking off dead twigs near the tops of high 
cottonwoods, though this may have been in play. This, and the western 
Montana record in Bendire’s ‘ Life Histories’ (Vol. II. p. 183), considerably 
extend to the eastward the known range of this species. I have frequently 
seen Swifts along the Yellowstone River in Montana but have been unable 
to secure any for identification. 
* Trochilus alexandri. — Fairly common late in May, especially about 
the low, lavender-colored blossoms of the camass. A few pairs remain to 
breed. 
* Selasphorus rufus. —A common spring migrant, probably breeding. 
Found most frequently about blossoms of cherry trees in the yards about 
the officers’ quarters. Ihave rarely seen this Hummer outside the fort, or 
the other two within it. 
* Stellula calliope.—The most common of the Hummers at Fort 
Sherman, both during the spring migration and the nesting season, their 
arrival in both years coinciding with the first blossoming of the wild 
hawthorn. 
A good many Hummers, probably of the three species, pass through to 
the south during the latter part of August. 
“Tyrannus tyrannus. — Arriving during the last week in May, the King- 
bird at once becomes fairly common among the cottonwoods bordering 
the river, and in which it nests. 
Tyrannus verticalis.— Rare; but a pair or two breed each year near the 
fort. | 
Contopus borealis. — Breeds sparingly at a height of several hundred 
feet above lake level. 
Contopus richardsonii.— Very common, both in pine woods and in 
cottonwoods bordering the river. 
* Empidonax hammondi. — Northern Idaho must be near the center of 
abundance of this Flycatcher, and it is far more plentiful here than I 
have found it to be in Montana and Oregon. Arriving early in May, its 
habits here are somewhat peculiar, for it is as common among young 
cottonwoods and willows along the river and inand near swamps — just 
such places as &. ¢razllii haunts —as in dry woods among pines, in which 
it is generally seen in the higher branches. It breeds in the latter 
situations, and I also took a good series of nests in young cottonwoods 
and aspens, some not more than two or three feet above the ground or 
water. When in pines the nest is usually thirty or forty feet from the 
ground, saddled on a horizontal dead branch several feet from the 
trunk, and is much like a Coztopus nest. When placed in a young 
cottonwood the nest is more like that of 2. wrfghtz7, near the ground and 
generally against the trunk. I found Hammond’s Flycatcher to be by no 
means as shy as other observers have noted; in fact, it is here one of the 
most common and, for an Emfpidonax, conspicuous of the summer 
