1924] Swarth: Birds and Mammals of the SkeenaBiver Region 347 



ground, and wedged between several limbs forming an upright croteb. 

 This nest outwardly is composed mostly of finely shredded strips of 

 bark ; the lining is of cattle hair, with a few feathers of grouse and 

 other birds. In each set the eggs are white, unmarked. 



Empidonax wrighti Baird. Wright Flycatcher 



In the lowlands, in just such surroundings as are frequented by 

 Empidonax hammondi. The two species are so nearly alike in life as 

 to be indistingiiishable to the eye, but different call notes serve for 

 identification. On this basis it may be said that E. tvrighti was rare, 

 compared to the abundant hammondi. Three specimens, all adult, 

 were collected (nos. 42203-42205) ; male, -June 27; female, August 17; 

 female, August 25. The two August birds are still mostly in worn 

 breeding plumage. 



One nest was found in Kispiox Valley. It was in a small, isolated 

 clump of willows, in an upright crotch formed by several dead limbs, 

 and about ten feet from the ground. On July 4 it contained two eggs, 

 just hatching. 



Otocoris alpestris arcticola Oberholser. Pallid Horned Lark 



In small numbers on the Alpine-Arctic summit of Nine-mile Moun- 

 tain. The last week in July young birds were seen flying about. Three 

 adults collected (nos. 42206-42208), a male and a female on July 31, 

 a male on August 1. The males are well advanced in the annual molt, 

 the female has hardly begun. 



On September 22 four horned larks were seen flying overhead 

 near Hazelton. This, evidently the beginning of the fall migration, 

 was the only lowland occurrence observed. 



Cyanocitta stelleri annectens (Baird). Black-headed Jay 



A few seen the last week in May and early in June, toward the base 

 of Rocher Deboule, southeast of Hazelton. They did not act like nest- 

 ing birds, and three speciraeiis collected -^vcre evidently not breeding. 

 In Kispiox Valley one appeared Aiigust 27, and thereafter, during 

 September, they drifted through from time to time, usually single 

 birds. On September 11 and 12 many were seen along the trail follow- 

 ing the telegraph line some forty miles north of Hazelton. The last 

 week in September they were fairly numerous near Ha^ielton, where 

 we had seen them before in May. No black-headed jays were found 

 on Nine-mile Mountain, where they might have been expected to breed. 



