152 



458. Sayornis nigricans (Swains.)- [317.] Black Plioebe. 



During the summer this southwestern species penetrates a short dis- 

 tance into western Texas. The only locality at which Mr. Lloyd has 

 found it is along Spring Creek, in Tom Green County, where it is rare, 

 but breeds. In the spring of 1885 it arrived at San Angelo, Tex., 

 March 14, and was common there March 20. Three eggs were taken 

 April 3 from a last year's nest which had been used a second time. 



459. Contopus borealis (Swains.). [318.] Olive- sided Flycatcher. 



Breeds from northern Minnesota northward and winters below our 

 southern border. Col. Goss says it breeds in Kansas. Though occur- 

 ring throughout the whole of the Mississippi Valley, this species seems 

 to have almost escaped the notice of the observers. It was seen as a 

 rare transient at Ellis, Kans., and the first was noticed at Lanesboro, 

 Minn., June 2, 1884 In the spring of 1885 the first Olive sided Fly- 

 catcher was seen at Saint Louis, Mo., April 30; at Grinnell, Iowa, May 

 21; and at Lanesboro, Minn., May 18. The last was recorded from 

 Saint Louis May 15; from Gainesville, Tex., May 21; and from Grin- 

 nell, Iowa, May 30. In the fall of 1885 the first migrant appeared at 

 Saint Louis, Mo., September 14, and the last was seen there September 

 25. Mr. Lloyd states that in Concho and Tom Green Counties, Tex., it 

 is a fall migrant, tolerably common in September. 



461. Contopus virens (Linn.). [320.] Wood Pewee. 



A common summer resident in Manitoba and the Mississippi Valley east 

 of the Plains. This species was said by Audubon to winter in Louisiana, 

 but has not been found there by late observers ; neither were any notes 

 contributed of its presence in the United States as early as the date of 

 arrival given by Dr. Coues, who says that it enters our district in March. 

 Still, as it reached Saint Louis April 29, 1884, and its average rate of 

 travel is about fifteen miles a day, calculation shows that it ought to 

 have reached the Gulf coast of Louisiaua March 18. In the spring of 

 1884 our earliest date came from near the extreme western limit of its 

 range, namely, Mason, Tex., where it was seen April 1G. Farther 

 north in Texas, it was observed at Gainesville, April 29, which is the 

 same day at which it was seen at Saint Louis, three hundred and fifty- 

 four miles farther north and still farther east. The average rate from 

 Mason to Gainesville was about the same as that from Saint Louis to 

 Waukon, Iowa, so that it is probable that the dates express very nearly 

 the actual state of affairs, making it evident that migration along the 

 western part of its habitat is much behind that in the eastern and 

 middle portions. West of Mason the only record came from San An- 

 gelo, Tex., where the species was found to be an occasional visitant. 

 Mr. Eidgway states that specimens sent to the Smithsonian Institu- 

 tion were not the western form (C. richardsonii), but the true eastern 

 C. virens.* Central Iowa was reached in migration May 10, northern 



* Since the above was written, Mr. Lloyd has taken two specimens of Contopus 

 richardsoni in "Concho County, Tex. 



