320 LIFE niSTOEIES OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



birds. Some of these nests resemble a blunt iuverted cone; these usually meas- 

 ure about 3 inches in outer diameter and about 3 J inches in depth; the inner 

 cup is about If inches in diameter by IJ inches in depth. Nearly every one is 

 partially lined with feathers and cattle hair, and occasionally bits of fine tree 

 moss enter into the composition of the nest. They are always well built and 

 securely fastened to the twigs among which they are placed. 



Although Wright's Flycatcher appears to have not yet been taken in Wash- 

 ington, I am quite confident that it will be found there in suitable localities, such 

 as the Blue Mountains, for instance, where scarcely an^^ collecting has yet been 

 done. 



Nidification rarely commences before the middle of June, more frequently 

 during the last third of this month, and sometimes not before the first week in 

 July. It takes fully a week to construct the nest, and I believe the male assists 

 in incubation, which lasts about twelve days. The food consists, at this time of 

 the year at least, entirely of insects. Only one brood is raised in a season, and 

 the return migration usually begins in the vicinity of Fort Klamath, Oregon, 

 in the latter part of August, when it commences to leave for the warmer low- 

 lands. Some remain in portions of southern California throughout the winter. 

 The number of eggs to a set is three or four; about one set in three, according 

 to my observations, contained four eggs, one being deposited daily. A second set 

 is frequently laid when the first is taken, and the new nest is often placed close 

 to the former site. The eggs are usually short or rounded ovate in shape; the 

 shell is strong, close grained, and without luster, dull white or pale creamy white 

 in color, and unspotted. 



The average measurement of one hundred and eleven eggs in the United 

 States National Museum collection is 17.22 by 13.27 millimetres, or about 0.68 

 by 0.52 inch. The largest egg of the series measures 18.54 by 14.22 milli- 

 metres, or 0.73 by 0.56 inch; the smallest, 15.24 by 12.19 millimetres, or 0.60 

 bv 0.48 inch. 



The type specimen. No. 20480 (PI. 2, Fig. 33), from a set of three eggs, 

 Bendire collection, was taken by the writer near Fort Klamath, Oregon, June 

 24, 1882, and represents an average egg of this species. 



ii8. Empidonax griseus Brewster. 



GRAY FLYCATCHER. 



Empidonax griseus Brewster, Aux, VI, April, 1889, 87. 



(B — , C — , E — , — , U 469 1.) 



Geographical range: Lower California and southern Sonera, Mexico. 



Very little is yet known about the range of the Gray Flycatcher, recently 

 described by Mr. William Brewster from specimens taken by Mr. M. Abbott 

 Frazar, near La Paz, Lower California. It is a somewhat larger and grayer 



