THE WOOD PEWEE. 291 



caring for a brood of newly hatched young in a small grove near his home. If 

 the first nest and eggs are taken they will promptly build a new one, and even a 

 third, frequently in the same tree. An egg" is deposited daily. Incubation lasts 

 about twelve days. I have never seen the male assist in this duty, but he 

 stays close by the nest and guards it. The young- leave the nest in about six- 

 teen days, and are cared for by both parents. From two to four eggs are laid 

 to a set, generally three, and sets of four I consider rare. They usually start 

 on their return migration in September, and I do not believe that any winter 

 within- our borders. 



The eggs of the Wood Pewee vary in shape from ovate to short or rounded 

 ovate; the shell is close-grained and without gloss. The ground color varies 

 from a pale milky white to a rich cream color, and the markings, which vary 

 considerably in size and number in different sets, are usually disposed in the 

 shape of an irregular wreath around the larger end of the egg, and consist of 

 blotches and minute specks of claret brown, chestnut, vinaceous rufous, helio- 

 trope, purple, and lavender. In some specimens the darker, in others the lighter 

 shades predominate. In very rare instances only are the markings found on the 

 smaller end of the egg. 



The average measurements of seventy-two eggs in the United States National 

 Museum collection is 18.24 by 13.65 millimetres, or about 0.72 by 0.54 inch. 

 The largest egg of the series measures 20.07 by 13.97 millimetres, or 0.79 by 

 0.55 inch; the smallest, 16.51 by 12.95 millimetres, or 0.65 by 0.51 inch. 



The type specimen, No. 25414 (PL 2, Fig. 18), from a set of three eggs, 

 taken by Dr. A. K. Fisher, near Sing Sing, New York, June 15, 1879, represents 

 one of the larger and well-marked eggs of this species, while No. 25584 (PL 2, 

 Fig. 19), from a set of three eggs, Ralph collection, taken near Holland Patent, 

 New York, June 30, 1882, represents one of the smaller-sized and oddly marked 

 specimens. 



108. Contopus richardsonii (Swainson). 



WESTERN WOOD PEWEE. 



Tyrannula richardsonii Swainson, Fauna Boreali Americana, II, 1831, 116, PL 16, 



lower fig. 

 Contopus richardsonii Baird, Birds of North America, 185S, 189. 

 (B 138, C 255a, E 321, C 3S3, U 162.) 



Geographical range: Western North America; north to British Columbia, the 

 Provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan, and probably farther in this direction; east to 

 Manitoba, western North and South Dakota, western Nebraska, Kansas and Texas; south 

 to Lower California, and in winter through Mexico and Central America to Ecuador and 

 Bolivia, South America. 



The Western Wood Pewee, also known as "Richardson's" and "Short- 

 legged" Pewee, is a common summer resident and breeds in suitable localities 

 throughout the western United States from the western edge of the Great Plains 



