232 MEMOIRS OF THE NUTTALL ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB. 



124. Empidonax minimus Baird. 

 Least Flycatcher. Least Pewee. Chebec. 



Very common summer resident. 



SEASONAL occurrence. 



April 22, 1889, one male^ taken, Cambridge, W. W. Brown. 



May I — August 25. 

 September 21, 1893, one male^ taken, Lexington, R. Hoffmann. 



NESTING DATES. 



May 20 — June 5. 



The Chebec is the commonest and most familiar of our smaller Flycatchers. 

 It breeds throughout the Cambridge Region ; — most numerously in apple 

 or pear orchards ; frequently in shade trees near houses ; sparingly or, at 

 least, locally in extensive upland woods ; rather commonly in swampy woods 

 of limited extent, such as those in the Maple Swamp which has always been 

 one of its favorite haunts. It used to be very generally and plentifully dis- 

 tributed over practically the whole of Cambridge, but since the English Sparrows 

 became abundant it has nearly disappeared from the more densely populated parts 

 of that city. One or two pairs continue, however, to linger near the Museum of 

 Comparative Zoology and in the neighborhood of our own place. The last nest 

 that was built in our garden (in 1895) was attacked by a large troop of English 

 Sparrows when it contained young about half grown. Although both parents 

 defended it with the utmost spirit, the Sparrows succeeded in tearing away part 

 of the outer walls of the nest, and one of them, standing on its rim, bent down 

 and delivered several murderous but fortunately ineffective pecks at the heads of 

 the young. In the end the Flycatchers triumphed and put the cowardly horde 

 to ignominious flight. As I watched this desperate combat I became fully satis- 

 fied as to the reasons why the Least Pewee has so nearly deserted Cambridge. 



[Alauda arvensis Linn. Skylark. Dr. J. A. Allen, writing in 18S0, says: "Skylarks 

 and other European bird.s were set loose, some years ago, in Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cam- 



' No. 25,222, collection of William Brewster. 

 2 No. 44,433, collection of William Brewster. 



