The Western Flycatcher 
flies, which together make up two-thirds of his living. Of course these 
are secured by tiny sallies through the air, and each successful foray is 
likely to be marked by a self-satisfied shake of the wings when the bird 
has regained his perch. Birdikins never seems to tire of this sportive 
gastronomic quest, and we suppose that the flavor of Hippodamia con¬ 
vergers (that’s a beetle) must be quite equal to pompano or sand-dabs; 
while the satisfaction of land¬ 
ing Diabrotica soror is like 
bringing a tuna to gaff. 
Wasps, too, are no mean an¬ 
tagonists, but so relentless is 
the warfare difficilis wages 
against them, that his older 
children are fattened up on 
an almost exclusive diet of 
wasp meat. 
The Western Flycatcher 
is a most catholic nester. It 
builds almost always a sub¬ 
stantial cup of twigs, grasses, 
and hemp, lined with grass, 
hair or feathers. The 
outside is usually plentifully 
bedecked with moss, or else 
the whole structure is chiefly 
composed of this substance 
—not, however, unless the 
color-tone of the immediate 
surroundings will permit of 
it. In position it varies 
without limit. We find nests 
sunk like a Solitaire’s in a 
mossy bank, or set in a niche 
of a rocky cliff, on logs, 
stumps, or beams, in a clump 
of ferns, or securely lodged 
in a fir tree at a height of 
forty feet. One I found in 
a swamp was saddled on the 
stem of a slanting vine maple 
i'm watching you. sir! without a vestige of cover 
female western flycatcher, recently flushed other than that afforded by 
882 
