21 
cause of lack of suitable conditions, which are present here only 
on the summits of Cuyamaca and Palomar. The nests are usually 
placed on the upper branches of fir trees. 
191. WESTERN WOOD PEEWEE. Myiochanes richardsoni. 
Common summer residents of canons and forests. Migrates 
through the coast region. Eats bees to some extent. 
192. WESTERN FLYCATCHER. Empidonax difficilis. 
Rather common summer residents of the forests and canons of 
the foothills and mountains. Migrates through the coast regions. 
198. TRAILL FLYCATCHER. Empidonax trailli. 
Generally distributed in the migrations. Rather common res- 
idents of willow thickets, principally in the lower valleys. 
194. HAMMOND FLYCATCHER. Empidonax hammondi. 
Rather common migrants in the spring through the lower part 
of the county, in the fall through the mountains also. 
195. WRIGHT FLYCATCHER. Empidonax wrighti. 
Rather common migrants in the foothills and mountains and 
breed in small numbers in the higher mountains. 
196. VERMILLION FLYCATCHER. Pyrocephalus 
rubineus mexicanus. 
Rare winter stragglers from the Colorado valley. 
Family ALAUDIDAS.  Larks. 
A small family of small birds, widely distributed in the north 
temperate and arctic zones. They are represented in America 
by the introduced skylark and one native genus. The food is 
insects. They are mostly ground dwellers. Beneficial. 
197. CALIFORNIA HORNED LARK. Otocoris alpestris 
actia. 
Abundant residents of valleys and plains. They run about on 
the ground picking up insects and are often seen in the roads. The 
nests are placed on the ground under weeds or grass. They fre- 
quently sing while fluttering high in the air like a skylark. 
198. MOHAVE HORNED LARK.  Otocoris alpestris 
ammophila. 
Winter residents of mountain valleys, usually in flocks mixed 
with the preceding subspecies. 
Family CORVIDAS. Crows, Jays and Magpies. 
A rather large-sized family of wide distribution. The birds 
are of medium or rather large size. They perch on trees or walk 
or hop around on the ground as occasion arises in hunting for food. 
The food is almost anything eatable either animal or vegetable. 
Some of the species are beneficial but the balance in general turns 
the other way. 
199. BLUE-FRONTED JAY. Cyanocitta stellari frontalis. 
Common residents of the pine forests, occasionally descending 
in winter to the oak forests. Usually seen in companies of half a 
dozen or so. Noisy. Wary. 
