DUSKY, GRAY, AND SLATE-COLORED 325 



green things. The call may be mistaken for that of the 

 phainopepla, but never were birds more unlike in ap- 

 pearance or habits. This species, more than any other 

 of the flycatcher family, deserves the name of " tyrant " 

 which has been given to its Eastern relative. Not only 

 will it drive all other birds, large or small, away from its 

 , nest tree but, it has the reputation of being a " claim- 

 jumper." It has been caught nesting in newly formed 

 cavities prepared by both the Texas and Gairduer wood- 

 peckers, and in one case at least I know the woodpeckers 

 were at work on the hole when driven away by usurpers. 

 The battle raged vigorously at intervals for a whole day. 

 No sooner had the Flycatchers settled the affair and 

 begun to line the nest with rabbit fur, than the wood- 

 peckers returned to the fray ; during the temporary ab- 

 sence of the bandits they scratched out every bit of the 

 unwelcome material, and prepared to reoccupy their 

 home themselves. But as always, the fiercer temper of 

 the Flycatchers prevailed over the brave resistance of 

 the woodpeckers, and after repeated defeats they sur- 

 rendered. Afterwards under the tree was found one 

 broken egg of the little woodpeckers, probably scratched 

 out of the nest ca\'ity in their energetic endeavors to get 

 rid of the rabbit fur, and telling more pathetically than 

 any words the story of their ruined hopes. 



This family of Ash-throats were wonderful uphol- 

 sterers, for the cavity was thickly padded on sides and 

 bottom with short hairs and rabbit fur, until there was 

 little space left. In this were laid three small eggs, and 

 on June 9 incubation began. During the fifteen days 



