258 EMPIDONAX OBSCURUS, WEIGHT'S FLTOATCHEE. 



EMPIDOFAX OBSCUEUS, (Sw.) Bd. 

 Wright's Fly catcher ; Gray Flycatcher. 



(?) Tyrannnla obscura, Sw., Syn. Jlex. B. in Philos. Mag. 1, 1827, 367. 



Emjndanax ohacunis, Bd., B. N. A. 1858, 200 ; Mex. B. Snrv. ii, 1859, pt. ii, 8, pi. 11, f. 3.— 

 ScL., P. Z. S. 1862, 19 ; Cat. 1862, 230 (La Parada, Mexico).— CouES, Pr. Phila. 

 Acad. 18B6, 62 (Arizona).— Sumich., Mem. Bost. Soc. i, 1869, 557 (Vera Cruz).— 

 Coop., B. Cal. i, 1870, 329.— Allen, Bull. M. C. Z. iii, 1872, 179 (Colorado and 

 Utah).— AiKEX, Pr. Best. Soc. 1872, 206 (Colorado).— CouES, Key, 1872, 176.— 

 B. B. & E., N. A. B. ii, 1S74, 381, pi. 44, f. 6. 



Empidonax ■wi-ightii, Bd., I. v. (in text). 



Sab. — Eocky Monntains to the Pacific, United States. Observed north to Colorado. 

 South through Mexico. 



This species enters the United States from Mexico the latter part of 

 March, or early in April, and remains until October, some proceeding 

 as far north as the above-cited localities, and probably further. I have 

 only observed it in Arizona. Mr. Allen has obligingly placed the fol- 

 lowing notes at my disposal : 



" The Gray Flycatcher was the commonest and almost the only spe- 

 cies of Empidonax met with in the mountains of Colorado. It was gen- 

 erally observed in rather wet, swampy localities, dense willow thickets 

 seeming to form its favorite resorts. It is very retiring in its habits, 

 keeping almost constantly concealed in thick copses, where it silently 

 hunts its insect prey, and is hence a difficult species to collect. Though 

 it may be approached within a few yards, it eludes capture by keeping 

 in the middle of the close willow clumps, exposing itself to view only 

 when obliged to fly across an open space, taking its departure from the 

 side furthest from the observer, and flying low and hurriedly to the 

 nearest point of concealment. The several nests found contained young, 

 and were always placed some distance within the thick copse the birds 

 had chosen for their home. The nests were usually built in the forks of 

 small branches, and in thickness and general appearance greatly resem- 

 bled the ordinary nests of the summer Tellow-bird [Bendrceca cestiva). 



Mr. Trippe's manuscript contains the following interesting notes of 

 the four Flycatchers occurring in Colorado : 



^^ Empidonax obscurus. Abundant; migratory; breeds. This Fly- 

 catcher arrives at Idaho Springs about the middle of May, and soon 

 becomes abundant, extending up all the valleys to over 10,000 feet, and 

 probably ranging up to timber-line, wherever it can find localities suit- 

 able for its habitat. It is rather a shy little bird, with' more of the hab- 

 its and appearance of acadicus than any other of the genus. It loves 

 the densest thickets of poplars and willows, and rarely ventures far 

 from the streams, never ascending the mountain-sides. It breeds from 

 about 7,500 feet up to its highest limit. 



" E. difflcilis. Abundant on the plains and up to 6,800 or 7,000 feet ; 

 and found, also, though unfrequently, up to timber-line, near which one 

 was shot in July. This species frequents the valleys and similar locali- 

 ties to the preceding, but often wanders among the mountains a con- 

 siderable distance from the streams, and instead of constantly hiding 

 itself amidst the densest shrubbery, frequently mounts to the dead tops 

 of trees from which it may have an extended view, and watch for in- 

 sects, which it captures with great address and returns to the same 

 l>erch again. It has one or two low notes like those of E. minimus, and 

 a loud, musical call, like ^^ pe-te, pete," quickly repeated. 



E. liammondii. Two or three specimens which were taken in June 

 and July, near Idaho Springs, answered pretty well to the description 



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