The Western Flycatcher 
the general gloom. At Kenawyer’s, 
deep in the Sierras, I found an ex¬ 
quisite nest with scarcely a trace of 
“skirts” showing, tucked between 
two ridges of bark on the bole of a 
great shaggy pine tree. Near 
Tacoma (Washington), a pair of 
these birds filled up and occupied a 
cavity from which a set of Gaird- 
ner Woodpecker’s eggs had already 
been taken. Near Santa Barbara a 
pair occupied a hand-sized niche in 
a solid stone wall from which an 
Auburn Canyon Wren had just led 
her brood. Indeed, Woodpeckers, 
Phoebes, House Wrens, Winter 
Wrens, and Canyon Wrens, are all 
mentors of this docile bird, difficilis. 
Another “Western” found a set of 
bridge-timbers so much to her liking 
that she built three nests, just alike, 
on adjoining beams. She laid two 
eggs each in two of them, but raw 
weather intervened and we could not 
learn whether she meant to sit on 
two nests at once. 
Two broods are the rule in the 
southern part of the bird’s range; 
one elsewhere. Near Santa Barbara 
I have found fresh eggs on the 30th 
of April, and others heavily incubated on the 3rd of May. June sees a 
second crop here; but “May or June” is the nearest we can predict of 
those who nest but once. Eggs to the number of three or four, rarely 
five, occupy the dainty cup provided. These are of a dull creamy white 
color, spotted and blotched rather lightly, with cinnamon brown and 
pinkish buff, easily distinguishable from all others, save those of the 
Brewster Flycatchers. 
The male does not dance a close attendance upon his mate while 
she is sitting, but I believe he is always within call. Indeed, I am sure 
that he oftenest keeps his mate advised of the approach of danger by 
that penetrating chnp of which we have already spoken. Possibly the 
male shares the duties of incubation, as Mrs. Myers supposes. 1 At any 
Photo by 
the Author 
Taken in 
Fresno County 
A HUMBLE BIRD MAY HAVE GRAND NEIGHBORS 
HAUNT OF THE WESTERN FLYCATCHER: SOUTH FORK, KINGS RIVER 
1 Harriet Williams Myers in “The Condor," Vol. XIII., May, 1911, p. 89. 
