302 NESTS AND EGQS OF 



453. Mexican Crested Flycatcher. 



453o. ARIZONA CRESTED ELYCATCHER. Myiarchus mexicanus maglster 

 Ridgw. Geog. Dist. — Western Mexico, north to Southern Arizona. 



Mr. W. E. D. Scott found this bird to be common in spring and summer about 

 Tucson, Florence, Riverside, and In the foot-hills of the Catalina Mountains up to 

 about 450 feet, in Southern Arizona. About Tucson it frequents the mesquite and 

 giant cactus groves. In the Catalinas, at an altitude of 4000 feet, a nest was found 

 built in a deserted Woodpecker's hole in a dead sycamore stub; it was entirely simi- 

 lar to that of M. crinitus, even to the traditional snake skins, and contained five eggs 

 nearly ready to be hatched, very similar to those of M. crinitus, but a little larger. 

 About Tucson the birds nest commonly in deserted Woodpecker's holes in the giant 

 cactus. From three to five eggs are laid. An egg of this Flycatcher iii my cabinet, 

 taken in Pinal county, Arizona, March 21, 1886, measures 1.03x.70. 



454. ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER. Myiarchus cinerascens Lawr. Geog. 

 Dist. — Western United States from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific, north to 

 Oregon, Nevada, Utah and Colorado, south over the highlands of Mexico to northern 

 Central America. 



The Ash-throated Flycatcher is a common species west of the Rocky Mountains; 

 in some places it is abundant. It is described as being shy, and of retiring habits, 

 preferring the solitude of deep, shady forests where its insect food abounds. It is 

 usually sole possessor of the tree in which its nest is built; all intruders are vio- 

 lently assailed and compelled to retreat. The nests are placed in natural cavities of 

 trees of almost any kind, in a deserted squirrel's Or Woodpeckers' hole. The 

 clutches of eggs range from four to seven, ordinarily five or six, and the nesting 

 season is in May and June. Old excavations of Galrdner's Woodpecker are com- 

 monly resorted to by this species in California. The eggs are colored and marked 

 like those of M. mexicanus. Set No. 208 (oological collection of Walter E. Bryant), 

 taken near Oakland, California, June 22, 1881, contains five eggs, which were fresh 

 when found; their measurements are 22.5x16.5, 22x16, 23.5x16.5, 22x16.5, 23x16.5 mm.* 



* .89X.65, .87X.63, .93X.65, .87X.65, .91X.65. 



