E. FLAVIVENTRIS, YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER. 255 



else. It probably reaches the latitude of Pembina about the third week 

 in May, as I found it common on my arrival the lirst of June. It is 

 confined entirely to the wooded river-bottom, where, in the shadow of 

 the lofty trees, it may be observed at any time, perched on an outer- 

 most twig, uttering its peculiar note, and dashing into the air to secure 

 the passing insect, clicking its mandibles; returning to its post to sit 

 upright and motionless, after a rustle of its wings and tail as it alights. 

 Early in June it was in company with Traill's Flycatcher, but as the 

 breeding season advanced the latter appeared to pass on ; at least, I 

 found none nesting. Most of the numerous nests I took were procured 

 the third and fourth weeks in June, at which latter date incubation 

 was generally advanced. 



The bird generally nests on a sapling or shrub, within ten or twelve 

 feet from the ground. One nest I reached without climbiug, and another 

 was placed on a slender swaying elm, about forty feet high; these were 

 the extremes of situation I observed. It is always placed, so far as I 

 discovered, in an upright crotch of several forks, preferably between 

 twigs no thicker than a linger. The high nest just mentioned was situ- 

 ated on the bending trunk itself, but it rested, as usual, between a little 

 set of twigs that grew upright. It is very deeply let down into the 

 crotch, and usually bears deep impressious of the boughs. The female 

 sets very closelj ; one I almost covered with mj^ hand before she flut- 

 tered off, although I stood for several moments within a yard of her. 

 On being frightened away, she retreats but a little distance, and flies 

 from one twig to another, uttering a mournful note. The nest is a neat 

 little structure; if it were only stuccoed with lichens it would be as ele- 

 gant as that of a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, which it scarcely exceeds in 

 size. The basis of the nest is a substantial intertwining of fine fibrous 

 inner bark, and the decomposing outer sub.stance of various weeds. 

 With this is matted a great quantity of sott plant-down, making a soft 

 yet firm and warm fabric. The interior is finished variously with a 

 special lining of x>la'nt-down, confined with a slight layer of horse-hair 

 or the finest possible grass-tops. The brim of the nest is firm and even, 

 with a circular arrangement of the fibres ; inside, the lining is simply 

 interlaced. In size, these elegant structures vary a good deal; the 

 smallest one before me is under two inches and a half across out- 

 side, and less than two deep ; another, which was let down very deeply 

 in a narrow crotch, is nearly three inches, both in depth and width, and 

 is quite unsymmetrical. The cavity is quite large for the outside dimen- 

 sions, in some instances the walls being barely coherent along the track 

 of the supporting twigs; it is no^ or but little, contracted at the brim, 

 and is about as deep as wide. 



The eggs are generally four in number, sometimes only three ; I did 

 not find five in any one of the six nests collected. One contained a Cow- 

 bird's egg. The eggs are pure white, unmarked. They vary much in size 

 and shape. Out of twenty examples, a large elongate one measures 0.C8 

 by 0.52 ; a small globular one, 0.59 by 0.50 ; a normal one, 0.65 by 0.50. 



EMPIDONAX FLAVIVENTRIS, Bd. 

 TellOTV-bellied Flycatcher. 



a. fiaviventris. 



Tyranmda jlmivcniriK, W. M. & S. F. Baird. Pr. Phila. Acacl. i, 1843, 283; Am. Journ. 



Sri. April, 1844. 

 Musciaipa Harirenlris, Ari)., B. Am. vii, 1844, 341. pi. 490. 

 EmpidoMU- tlanrcntris, Bd., B. N. A. ISoS, 198.-.SCL., P. Z. S. 1859. 3C6; Ibis, 1859^ 441 ; 



Cat. 1862, 229 (Xi|l^-g^/^()S'*tl5aM/eW9l?©#®ScL. & S.vLV., Ibis, 1859, 122 



