FLYCATCHERS 
253 
the giant cactus belt of southern Arizona, where it appears to be a 
rather irregular summer resident, not uncommon in some seasons 
and rare in others/’ 
Mr. Stephens found it frequenting low mesquites, and reports that 
it was ‘ tame and rather noisy, having a variety of loud calls, some 
. . . almost thrasher-like.’ 
454. Myiarchus cinerascens (Lawr .). Ash-throated Fly¬ 
catcher. 
Adults. — Throat and chest pale ashy, sometimes almost white on 
throat; belly pale sulphur yellow ; upper parts grayish brown; wings 
with two white bars, quills edged with reddish brown, tertials edged with 
white ; tail with middle feathers dusky brown, the rest chiefly brown on 
inner webs ; outer tail feather with inner web dusky at tip , outer web dis¬ 
tinctly whitish. Young: tail feathers rufous, with dark median stripe. 
Length : 8.00-8.50, wing 3.80-4.25, tail 3.65-4.20, bill from nostril .52-.60, 
tarsus .S8-.95. 
Distribution. — Breeds in Upper and Lower Sonoran zones in the western 
United States from northern Oregon to Mexico, and east to Colorado and 
southwestern Texas ; migrates to Guatemala. 
Nest. — Usually less than 20 feet from the ground in knot-holes of 
mesquite, giant cactus, and trees, in cavities of stumps, woodpecker holes, 
and occasionally behind pieces of bark ; lined with rootlets, grass, dry 
horse manure, hair, fur, and occasionally snake skins. Eggs: 3 to 6, 
creamy to pinkish buff, covered with longitudinal streaks and hair lines of 
purple. 
Food. — Mainly ants, grasshoppers, caterpillars, beetles, butterflies, flies, 
moths, and occasionally berries, especially mistletoe. 
The noisy bickering bee-bird is quite put to shame by the digni¬ 
fied demeanor of the ash-throated flycatcher, who with raised crest 
and erect carriage goes about his business in a quiet, self-contained 
manner. 
He is a common resident of the desert regions of southern Cali¬ 
fornia, Nevada, Utah, and northern Arizona, and where the desert 
mountains do not afford water he sometimes breeds as much as five 
miles away from it, needing less water, perhaps, because his insect 
food affords a good deal of liquid. 
454a. M. c. nuttingi (Ridgw .). Nutting Flycatcher. 
Similar to M. cinerascens , but outer tail feather without either distinctly 
white outer web or dusky tip to inner web; tail never decidedly shorter 
than wing ; upper tail coverts not distinctly rusty. Wing: 3.40-3.70, tail 
3.35-3.80, bill from nostril .40-.56, tarsus .80-.88. 
Distribution. — From southern Arizona south to Costa Rica. 
Nest. — As described by Dr. Fisher, 4 feet from the ground in an old 
woodpecker hole in a giant cactus, containing 4 eggs, creamy, covered 
with longitudinal purple streaks and hair lines. 
455a. Myiarchus lawrencei olivascens Ridgw. Olivaceous 
Flycatcher. 
Adults. — Head and back olive brown; wing and tail feathers usually 
