854 BUIDS OF ILLINOIS. 



This inconspicuous bird is known in Illinois only as a miprant, 

 but it may possibly breed in the extreme noi-theru portion of the 

 State, since it has been found by Dr. Hoy to bo a summer resident 

 in the vicinity of Racine, Wisconsin. In its habits it is essentially 

 similar to other species of the genus, though in the position and 

 composition of its nest it differs from all except its western repre- 

 sentative, £'. (lijfkilis Baird. The nest is bulky, made largely of 

 moss and soft materials, and is placed often in some cavity of an 

 old log or stump, near the ground. The eggs, hke those of E. 

 acadicus and E. trailUi, are spotted. 



Einpidonax minimus Baird. 



LEAST FLYCATCHER, 



Muscieapa acadica "G-it." NuTT. Man. 1, 1833, 388 (nee Gmol.). 

 Turannula jniiiimo Wm. M. & S. F. Baibd, Pr. Phil. Academy. 1, 18«, 284. 

 Muscieapa minima AuD. B. N. Am. vll, \mi.'M3, pi. 491, 



Empidonax minimus Baird, B. X. Am. 1S58, 195; Cat. N. .\m. B. 1859. No. HJ.— C"ouE». 

 Key, 1872, 175: Cheek List. 1874, No. 258: 2d ed. 18S2. No. 377: B. N. W. In74, 254.-B. B. 

 & B. Hist. N. Am. B. 11, 1S74. 372. pi. 44. flgs. 10.— Bldow. Nom. N. Am. B. 1881, No. 326. 



Had. Eustern North Ameriea, breeding from northern border o( United States north 

 to subarctic districts; west regularly to border of Grout Plains, irregularly to base of 

 Kocky Mountains. In winter, custom Mexico, Guatemulu and Honduras. 



"Sp. Chab. Second auill longest; third and fourth but little shorter; flfth a little loss; 

 first iutcrmediato between llfth and sl.xth. Tail oven. Above olive-brown, darki'r on 

 the head, becoming paler on the rump and upper tail-covorts. The middle of the l)a<'k 

 most strongly olivaceous. The nape (in some individuals! and sides of the hoa<l tingi-d 

 with ash. A ring around 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 buck, 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 tali-coverts. Wings brown; two narrow while 

 bands on the wing, formed by the tips of the first and second coverts, succeeded by one 

 of brown. The edge of the first primary, and of the sei'ondaries and tortials, whit<'. 

 Tall rather lighter brown, edged externally likr' the back. Feathers narrow, not acumi- 

 nate, with the ends rather blunt. In autumn the white parts are strongly tinged with 

 yellow. Length, about 5.IHI; wing. 2.ii5: tail. 2..''iO. Young with ochracoous, instead of 

 grayish-while wing-bands." {Hist. -V. .4m. Ji.) 



"First plumage: male. Similar to the adult, but with a stronger olive cast, and a 

 faintly indicated coilurof ashy brown across the nape. Wing-bunds light reildish brown. 

 Beneath almost precisely similar to the adull. with perhaps a slightly stronger yellowish 

 east upon the abdomen and erissum. Uistinguishuble from K. lyaillii und h'. aradirusiu 

 corresponding stuges by the deciiledly pnler und less yellowish undi'r parts; espeeiully 

 by the nearly I'lear ashy on the sides of the breast. From a spei'inien in my collection 

 taken at C'ambridgi', Mass.. ,Tuly 2. 1872. Other si)Ocimens in first plumage before me 

 dilTer little from the one above described, but autntnttal spfrimpits, singularly ent^ugh, 

 are much yellower lielow anil more olivaceous above." (Buewsteb, Bull. Null. Orn. 

 Club, Oct. 1878, p. 178.) 



This retiring little bird, like its congeners, has nothing in its habits 

 to bring it into general notice. It is therefore ahuost wholly un- 



