BIRDS OF MINNESOTA. 253 



My personal observations of the feeding habits of this bird 

 differ a little from those generally given, in that I have found 

 them in the very tops of the trees at such times, giving little 

 heed to my presence so far below them. When on, or near the 

 ground, they are extremely reticent and equally shy. The nest 

 as repeatedly described to me by those who have discovered it, 

 is from five to seven feet above the ground, on a branch at the 

 first division from the trunk of a sapling, or in the forks of a 

 considerable bush. At the time of their first arrival, I have 

 found them almost common since knowing their habits, but 

 they become very shy indeed when once the incubation has 

 begun. They leave us simultaneously with the arrival of the 

 frosts in autumn. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTERS. 



Second, third and fourth quill nearly equal; first inter- 

 mediate between fifth and sixth; tail nearly even, slightly 

 rounded; tarsi long, above bright olive-green; crown rather 

 darker; a broad yellow ring around the eye; the sides of the head, 

 neck, breast and body, and a band across the breast like the back, 

 but lighter; the rest of the lower parts bright sulphur-yellow — 

 no white or ashy anywhere on the body — quills dark brown; two 

 bands on the wing formed by the tips of the primary and 

 secondary coverts, the outer edge of the first primary and of 

 the secondaries and tertials pale yellow or greenish-yellow; 

 the tail feathers brown, with the exterior edges like the 

 back. Bill dark brown above, yellow beneath; feet black. In 

 the autumn the colors are purer, the yellow is deeper, and 

 the markings on the wings of an ochry tint. 



Length, 5.15; wing, 2.83; tail, 2.45. 



Habitat, eastern North America to the plains, and from 

 Southern Labrador south through Eastern Mexico to Panama, 

 breeding from the Northern States northward. 



EMPIDONAX ACADICrS (Gmelin). (465.) 

 ACADIAN FLYCATCHER. 



I have been agreeably surprised to find that this species is 

 fairly common in Minnesota. The average time of arrival has 

 been May 20th, and they have habitually left in their southern 

 migration about the 10th of September. The confounding of 

 this species with E. traillii by so many experts early put me on 

 my guard, and I believe I have always been spared a final 

 doubt as to its identity. Prof. Baird's discrimination between 

 these two species has been completely verified by my local 

 observations. The nesting has been begun about the second 

 week in June, although I have had the nest, mother, and 



