TYEANNUS VEETICALIS, AEKANSAS FLYCATCHEE. 237 



British Columbia. Accidental at Moorestown, New Jersey (Mus. Acad. Phila. ; 

 TuKNB., B. E. Pa. 41), and at Plympton, Maine (as above). 



Lientenmit Warren's Expedition. — 5263, 5265, Yellowstone ; 5264, Knife River : 5258, 

 5259, 5260, 5262, Fort Lookout ; 5240, 5242, 5243, 5246, 5252, 5253, 5256, Farm Island, 

 Missouri Eiver ; 5261, 5266, mouth Powder River ; 8896, 8898, 8899, Loup Fork. 



Later i'xpedittons.— 60437-9, 61135, Wyoming ; 61748-51, Utah ; 61772, 61781, Idaho. 



The very extensive series taken by Lieutenant Warren's Expedition, 

 demonstrates the abundance of the species in the Upper Missouri and 

 Platte regions. Spealiing of its occurrence with the Kingbird, Dr. Hay- 

 den says that the two are often found together, but notices that this 

 species "does not malce its appearance, however, tijl we reach a point 

 about one hundred miles below Fort Pierre, and thence to the mount- 

 ains. The T. carolinensis diminishes in numbers, while the T. verticalis 

 becomes exceedingly abundant, occurring in vast numbers along the 

 wooded portions of streams." We may accept this as indicating, in 

 general, the respective bearing of the species upon the regions in ques- 

 tion, but T. verticalis is certainly found much further east than Dr. 

 Hayden supposed, as will be observed by the above citations. I never 

 saw it, to my knowledge, in Arizona, but Dr. Cooper observed it at Fort 

 Mojave, on the Colorado. He describes a nest, taken at Santa Barbara, 

 in the following terms : " This nest was built on a branch of low oak, 

 near the town, was five inches wide, and constructed of lichens, twigs, 

 coarse grass, and wool, lined with hair; the four eggs it contained were 

 creamy-white, spotted with purple of two shades near the large end, 

 measuring 0.94 by 0.70." The habits and manners of the species are, in 

 all essentials, the same as those of Kingbird, familiar to all. 



Mr. Allen has favored me with an interesting communication pre- 

 pared for the present report: "The Arkansas Flycatcher occurs 

 abundantly as far east as Fort Hays, Kansas, where it is one of the 

 most numerous and characteristic of the woodland birds. It seems 

 even more pugnacious than its relative, the Kingbird, the males fight- 

 ing with each other almost constantly ; and it is equally alert in driving 

 other birds from the vicinity of its nest. Its notes are harsher and 

 louder than those of the Kingbird, though at times rather more musical; 

 they are marked by the same general character. It is more graceful on 

 the wing than the latter bird, possessing rather superior powers of 

 flight, yet resembling it closely in general habits. It constructs a rather 

 bulky and conspicuous nest, comi^osed outwardlj' of the coarse stems of 

 plants, softly lined with finer material, generally hair; it is placed on 

 the outer and higher branches of quite large trees. The eggs, com- 

 monly five in number, in size, shape, and color so closely resemble those 

 of the Kingbird as not to be always distinguishable. Dozens of pairs 

 were breeding in the narrow belt of timber bordering Big Creek, on the 

 Military Reservation at Fort Hays. We also found them nesting in 

 isolated trees at the heads of ravines, sometimes several miles from any 

 other tree or shrub. 



"The species is probably a common inhabitant of the plains, along 

 all the timbered portions of the streams, from Middle Kansas westward 

 to the Rocky Mountains. Along the South Platte and its tributaries, 

 near Denver, it is one of the most conspicuous species, but it ranges 

 only a little way into the foot-hills. I^fone were met with in South Park, 

 nor at any point in Colorado, above 7,000 feet. During the latter part 

 of August they were abundant on Crow Creek, in the vicinity of Chey- 

 enne, although the arboreal vegetation was limited to a few dwarfed 

 clumps of willows. It was here partially gregarious, loose flocks of 

 several dozens being sometimes met with, composed almost wholly of 

 young birds. These roving parties had doubtless wandered here from 



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