NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 303 



Set No. 207, five eggs, taken at Berkely, California, June 9, 1880, contained small 

 embryos, and show the following dimensions: 21x16, 21.5x15.5, .21.5x15.5, 21.5x16, 20x 

 15 mm.* 



454a. NUTTING'S PLYCATCHEE. Myiarchus cinerascens nuttingi (Rldgw.) 

 Geog. Dist. — Southern Arizona, southward through Western Mexico to Costa Rica. 



This Is a recent addition tt) our avifauna. The bird with four fresh eggs was 

 secured by Dr. A. K. Fisher at Rilllto Creek, Arizona, on June 12, 1892. Other speci- 

 mens of the bird have since been taken. The nest which Dr. Fisher found was In a 

 hole formerly occupied by Woodpeckers in a giant cactus tree about four feet from 

 the ground. The eggs are similar to those of the Ash-throated Flycatcher and meas- 

 ure .96X.67. .95X.66. .98x.67 and .94x.69 inches. 



[455.] LAWRENCE'S PLYCATCHEB. Myiarchus lawrenceii (Giraud.) Geog. 

 Dist. — Texas (?) and Eastern Mexico. 



This species is placed in our avifauna on Glraud's record from the lower Rio 

 Grande in Texas, but has not since his day (1841) been observed or taken by any 

 collector. A set of five eggs of Lawrence's Flycatcher was taken by Mr. Frank B. 

 Armstrong near Alta Mira, Tamaulipas county, Mexico, May 20, 1895. The bird was 

 shot and identification made certain. The nest was placed in the hole of a tree In 

 open woods, ten feet from tLe ground; The composition of the nest was brownish- 

 colored hairs, feathers, etc. 1 he ground color of the eggs is a rich creamy buff, very 

 sparingly marked when compared with the eggs of other species of this genus, the 

 same purple and dark- brown colors, however, predominating, but not laid on in the 

 same scratchy style, tending considerably more to blotches and spots, although suf- 

 ficient enough to identify them as eggs belonging to birds of this genus. The set of 

 five eggs just described are in Mr. C. W. Crandall's collection and were sent to him 

 by Mr. Armstrong as being typical of the species selected from a small series taken 

 at Alta Mira. The sizes of the eggs are as follows: .83x-.68, .87x.66, .81x.65, .88x.67, 

 .84X.66; average .85x.66. Inches. 



455a. OLIVACEOTIS FLYCATCHER. Myiarchus lawrenceii oUvascens Rldgw. 

 Geog. Dist. — Arizona and Western Mexico; casual at Fort Lyon, Colorado. 



First described by Mr. William Brewster in 1881 from specimens taken by Mr. 

 F. Stephens in the Santa Rita Mountains, Arizona, during the months of May and 

 June. Mr. Stephens supposed that this sub-species bred in the knot holes of trees or 

 In the excavations made by woodpeckers. Nothing possltlve seems to be known 

 concerning the eggs of this species, but in all probability they are similar to those of 

 the Ash-throated Flycatcher. 



456. PHCEBE. Sayornis phoehe (Lath.) Geog. Dist. — Eastern North America; 

 in winter south to Mexico and Cuba. 



The Phoebe, Pewit, or Pewee is one of the best known birds In Eastern United 

 States, where, with the Robin and the Bluebird, it is always one of the first spring 

 arrivals. Shady ravines, the borders of rivers and open fields are its resorts. It is 

 commonly found perched upon a dead branch of a tree at the edge of a woods, 

 where it sits flirting Its tail and occasionally darting out after passing Insects, al- 

 ways returning to the same twig, and frequently uttering its simple, agreeable and 



.8Px63, Sbx61, .85X.6]. .85X.63, .79x.59. 



