370 ■ HISTORY OF THE 



usually from four to ten feet from the ground, A rather com- 

 pact, deep, cup-shaped nest, closely resembling in form and 

 make-up, the nest of the Yellow Warbler. Composed chiefly 

 of small stems or twigs from plants, and flaxen, fuzzy, fibrous 

 strippings from the same, with a few scattering blades of grass, 

 and here and there an occasional feather; and lined thickly and 

 rather evenly with fine, hair-like stems from grasses. Eggs tliree 

 or four, .72x. 54; cream white, thinly speckled and spotted with 

 reddish brown, thickest about the larger end; in form, ovate. 

 A set of three eggs, taken June 17th, 1886, in a thick, second 

 growth of timber at Beattie, Kansas, by Mr. Geo. F. Brenniger, 

 measure: .69x.55, .7()x. 55, ,70x. 55; and a set of four, taken 

 June 17th, 1881, at Galesburg, Illinois: .70x.54, .72x.54, .72x 

 .55, .72X.55. 



Empidonax minimus (Baird). 



LEAST FLYCATCHER, 

 PLATE XXIV. 



Migratory; common in the eastern portion of the State. Ar- 

 rive the last of April; return in September; a few occasionally 

 remain into October. 



B. 143. R. 336. C. 387. G, 160, 179. U. 467. 



Habitat. Temperate eastern North America; west to the 



Yellowstone River and base of Eocky Mountains in Colorado; 



south in winter to Panama. 



Sp. Char. "Second quill longest; third and fourth but little shorter; fifth 

 a little less; first intermediate between fifth and sixth. Tail even. Above 

 olive brown, darker on the head, becoming paler on the rump and upper tail 

 coverts. The middle of the back most strongly olivaceous. The nape (in some 

 individuals) and sides of head tinged with ash. A ring round the eye and some 

 of the loral feathers white; the chin and throat white. The sides of the throat 

 and across the breast dull ash, the color on the latter sometimes nearly obsolete; 

 sides of the breast similar to the back, but of a lighter tint; middle of the belly 

 very pale yellowish white, turning to pale sulphur yellow on the sides of the 

 belly, abdomen and lower tail coverts. Wings brown; two narrow white bands 

 on the wings, formed by the tips of the first and second coverts, succeeded by 

 one of brown. The edge of the first primary and of the secondaries and tertials 

 white. Tail rather lighter brown, edged externally like the back. Feathers 

 narrow, not acuminate, with the ends rather blunt. In autumn the white parts 

 are strongly tinged with yellow. Young with ochraceous instead of grayish 

 white wing bands." 



