326 LIFE HISTOEIES OF NOETH AMERICAN BIRDS. , 



collected by Mr. F. Stephens in the vicinity of Tucson, Arizona, in the spring 

 of 1881. I quote him in full: 



"The detection of this Flycatcher in Arizona is perhaps the most interesting 

 discovery resulting from Mr. Stephens's late trip. Ornithion imberbe has only 

 recently been added to our fauna by Mr. Sennett, and the locality of his single 

 specimen — Lomita, Texas — was so far beyond the previously known range of 

 the species that its occurrence seemed hardly likely to prove more than a mere 

 accident. In 1880, however, Mr. M. A. Frazar secured additional specimens at 

 Lomita, and now an allied but apparently distinct race turns up in Arizona. 



"Mr. Stephens found the curious little bird only at Tucson, where his first 

 specimen was taken April 28. Afterwards others were shot in the same locality, 

 but they were by no means common. The males had a habit of perching on 

 the tops of the tallest trees in the vicinity of their haunts, and at sunrise 

 occasionally uttered a singular song which Mr. Stephens transcribes as 'yoop- 

 yoop-yoopeddeedledefe,' the first half given very deliberately, the remainder 

 rapidly. A commoner cry, used by both sexes in calling to each other, was a 

 shrill 'pier, pifer, pifer, pifer,' beginning in a high key and falling a note each 

 time. They were very shy, and specimens were obtained only at the expense 

 of much trouble and perseverence. Their loud calls were frequently heard, 

 but when the spot was approached the bird either relapsed into silence or took 

 a long flight to resume its calling in another direction. In their motions they 

 resembled other small Flycatchers, but their tails were less frequently jerked. 



"On May 28 Mr. Stephens met with a young bird which had but just left 

 the nest. It was accompanied by the female parent, who showed much sohci- 

 tude, and frequently uttered her shrill cries, to which the ofi"spring responded in 

 nearly similar tones. Both individuals were secured, but neither the nest nor 

 the remainder of the brood — if, indeed, there were any more — could be found. 

 On the following day this episode was repeated, a second female being found in 

 attendance on another young bird of nearly the same age as that obtained on 

 the previous occasion." 



Mr. Stephens writes me that he took another specimen in April, 1884, also 

 near Tucson, and considers this subspecies as very rare. Additional specimens 

 have recently been taken by Mr. E. W. Nelson, at Etzatlan, Jahsco, on June 

 22, 1892, and at Tehucan, Puebla, Mexico, on May 4, 1893; these are now in 

 the ornithological collection of the United States Department of Agriculture, 

 but nothing appears to be known regarding the breeding habits, nest, or eggs 

 of this subspecies. 



