Plate XXXV. 
EMPIDONAX 7RAILLII— Train's Flycatcher. 
Traill’s Flycatcher arrives in Central Ohio about the beginning of the second week in May, and 
remains until earl}'' in September. Nest-building commences the last of May or the first of June. 
Occasionally two broods are raised by a single pair. 
LOCALITY: 
The nest is generally placed in a bush or small tree, in a damp and shady spot, such as an island 
in a river or creek, or a low piece of woodland. The species may occur in abundance in a locality of 
only a few acres, and be entirely absent for miles around. A piece of moist land, near a small water- 
course, overgrown with elders, willows, and such rank weeds as are common to these places, and inter- 
spersed here and there with large elms or sycamores, is a typical nesting locality. The majority of nests 
in my possession have been taken from elders, and my impression is that this is the favorite bush for the 
site, and next in choice is the willow. I have never found the nest in upland woods, such as is frequented 
often by the Acadian Flycatcher. It is probable, however, that such timber-land is sometimes selected. 
POSITION : 
The nest is almost always built in a perpendicular fork formed of two or more small branches, and 
is never but a few feet above the ground, the average distance being somewhat less than that given for 
E. acaclicus. When in an elder bush, its height is between two and five feet; but when in a willow or 
small tree it is usually double this distance. Nineteen nests out of twenty-one examined were placed in 
perpendicular forks ; the remaining two were built upon horizontal branches, and were supported at the 
side by several small upright twigs. 
MATERIALS : 
The foundation and superstructure ordinarily consist of flaxen fibres from the inside bark of dead 
trees and weeds, mixed with a few blades of grass and pieces of slender weed-stems. Some nests are 
made of flaxen fibres alone, tightly felted, and are very tidy in appearance, and some are made almost 
entirely of grasses and weed-stems; these are much rougher externally. In fact, the compactness and 
neatness of the nest bear an inverse ratio to the quantity of grasses and weed-stems that are mixed with 
the fibres. Whitish pieces of felt-like material, composed of plant-down or very fine fibres, are frequently 
to be seen hanging loosely about the rim or from the sides of the nest; and pieces of rag or paper are 
sometimes utilized in construction. Occasionally a nest is seen that, although compact and well made 
about the rim, is very loose and scraggy about the base, having long grass or fibres hanging several 
inches below the lowest point of support. The lining is most frequently made of narrow or split blades 
of soft grass and pieces of roller-grass in various proportions, to which are sometimes added shreds of 
grape-vine bark, a few horse-hairs, feathers, or plant-down. Of the twenty-one nests examined, one con- 
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