324 LAND BIRDS 



chasing a crow, or perched on a dead twig all fluffed 

 out for a sun-bath, shows the same characteristic traits 

 that amuse us in his relatives, and we welcome the sight 

 as of an old friend. His food consists of large insects 

 and caterpillars, with possibly a peck at the farmer's 

 fruit. His call is the shrill note of his family, somewhat 

 modulated. 



454. ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER.— Mi/iarchus 



cinerascens. 



Family : The Flycatchers. 



Length: 8.00-8.50. 



Adults : Throat and chest light gray, merging to white on the throat ; 

 belly sulphur-yellow ; upper parts grayish brown ; two white wing- 

 bars ; tertial.s edged with white ; outer tail-feathers with outer webs 

 distinctly white. 



Young : Similar to adults, but tail-feathers rufous. 



Geographical Distrihutiim : Western United States from Northern Oregon 

 south to Mexico, east to Colorado, south in winter to Guatemala. 



California Breeding Range : Below Transition zone, nearly throughout 

 the State. 



Breeding Season : May 5 to June 24. 



Nest : In knot-holes of trees or giant cactuses or in woodpeckers' holes, 

 and sometimes behind pieces of bark ; lined with hair, snake skin, 

 grass, and rootlets. 



Eggs : 3 to 6 ; buffy, covered with longitudinal scrawls of purple. Size 

 0.88 X 0.65. 



Quite different from the noisy kingbirds are these 

 demure, dignified Flycatchers. Even in Southern Cali- 

 fornia they are only summer residents, going south to 

 Guatemala in the winter. They nest indiscriminately in 

 the dense thickets of the river bottoms or in the oak 

 groves of the foot-hills, in the canons or on the desert 

 plains, where the cactus and the mesquite are the only 



