64 The Ottawa Naturalist. [July 



The Alder Flycatcher {Empidonax trailUi alnorum) is 

 tolerably common along alder bordered streams. It arrives from 

 the south late in May when one is notified of its arrival by hearing 

 its harsh call which, to some observers, sounds like the following 

 notes, "kzer-wee," uttered persistently as the bird sits at rest 

 upon some twig, when upon the lookout for its favorite insects. 

 The nest of this species is a good imitation of a bunch of dried 

 grasses lodged in the forks of a small bush by water during 

 freshets. An observer unacquainted with the habits of our fly- 

 catchers, would never suspect that the nests of the wood pewee 

 and glder flycatcher belonged to nearly related birds, yet 

 both rests are good imitations of objects occurring in their vicinity, 

 thus showing that the birds try to protect the eggs and young in 

 a thou'^htful manner. 



The Least Flycatcher {Empidonax minimus) is a habitant 

 of orchards and second growth deciduous trees. With the 

 exception of the pewee, the call and song of the least flycatcher is 

 more pleasant to the ear than anv of the other flycatchers' notes. 

 A comnion npnie applied to this species is derived from its notes 

 which sound "Chebeck, chebeck," and may be heard from the 

 time the birds arrive from the south in May until after the youug 

 are fledged, in June. The eggs of the chebeck are quite unlike the 

 eggs of our other flycatobters, l:)eing of a spotless cream color 

 throughoiit. The number of eggs is three or four. The nest is 

 compactly built of shreds of l:)ark, weed stems and feathers, lined 

 with plant down, and usually placed in the forks of a small tree, 

 or amiong twigs of a horizontal branch of a conifer. vSquirrels and 

 blue jays are persistent enemies, robbing the nests of loth eggs 

 and young birds. This species seems to put more confidence in 

 man than does any of its kin, therefore, it may often build its nest 

 and rear its young in close proximity to our own buildings. In 

 the construction of their nests they like to get bits of string that 

 are often put out for the special benefit of the birds. The strings 

 make good material for binding the nest together and to its 

 foimdation. 



