NVTTALL ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB, 
15 
of its summer habitat is found to be somewhat that of its con- 
gener. Such is the case in Pennsylvania, in Ohio and Illinois. 
Limited to about Kansas in its extension westward, TrailFs 
Flycatcher then fades into the closely allied form, known as var. 
pusillus^ which seems to inhabit the western country at large, 
without much regard to the climatic condition which it finds. — 
In addition to many intermediate quotations we find it from 
Washington Territory (Cooper,) to New Mexico and Arizona 
where I have found it almost to the Mexican line, and also in 
southern California. 
In this wide range of country the Traill’s Fl^matcher appears 
to have changed its habits very little. It is everywhere a bird 
of the swamps and lowlands, being especially partial to the 
running streams, whose banks are well clothed with willow, dis- 
posed in dense thickets. This is as true of the var. pusillus in 
the west as of Trailili in the east, and there is seen also in the 
architecture of the nests of the two a similarity which is quite 
remarkable, when is taken into consideration the wide extent of 
country occupied by the two varieties. Slight variations aside, 
which are chiefly the result of a difference in the materials used, 
the selection of which always largel}^ depends upon fortuitous 
circumstances, there is almost no difference. 
As typical then of either variety, I shall briefly describe a 
nest of Traillii,, one of a series of five, kindly presented by Dr. 
Wheaton, and taken near Columbus, Ohio. 
It may be fairly compared with the usual structure of the 
Summer Yellow Warbler (Dendrmca cestim),, so well known to 
every one, but lacks something of the compactness and neat- 
ness shown by this species in its method of weaving together the 
materials that make up its home. Hempen fibres compose the 
exterior, or the hulk of the nest, while internally it is lined in true 
Flycatcher style with fine grasses, and a slight admixture of down 
from thistles ; the main point of all, however, is its position with 
regard to the branches. It is built into an upright fork, the small 
twigs that surround it being made available to secure it more 
firmly in its place by being encircled with the stringy fibres. In 
this particular of position correspond all of the nests of this 
bird I have seen, as well as those of pusilhis in the west. 
Taking now a nest of E. acadicus, and placing it beside the 
others, a very striking difference is at once seen. Instead of 
comparing it with the structures of any of the Warblers, or with 
