864 BIRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



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

 but it may possibly breed in the extreme northern portion of the 

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

 in the vicinity of Eacine, 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, E. dijficilis 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. traillii, are spotted. 



Empidonax minimus Baird. 



LEAST FLYCATCHEH. 



Muscicapa acadica "Gm." Nutt. Man. i, 1832, 288 (nee Gmel.). 

 Jyrannula minima Wm. M. & S. F. Baikd, Pi-. Phil. Academy, 1, 1843, 284. 

 Muscicapa minima AuD. B. N. Am. vii, 1844. 343, pi. 491. 



Empidonax minimus Baikd, B. N. Am. 1858. 195; Cat. N. Am. B. 1859. No. 142.— CouES, 

 Key, 1872, 175: Clieek List. 1874, No. 258; 2d ed. 1882, No, 377; B. N. W. 1874. 254.— B. B. 

 & E. Hist. N. Am. B. il. 1874, 372 pi. 44. Ugs. 10.— Bidgw. Norn. N. Am. B. 1881, No. 326. 



Hab. Eastern North America, breeding from northern border c£ United States north 

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

 Becky Mountains, In winter, eastern Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras. 



"Sp. Chak. 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-eoverts. The middle of the back 

 most strongly olivaceous. The nape (in some individuals) and sides of the head tinged 

 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 back, but of a lighter 

 tint; middle of the belly very pale yellowish wliite, turning to pale sulphur-yellow on 

 the sides of the belly, abdomen, and lower tail-coverts. Wings brown; two narrow white 

 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 secondaries and tertials, white. 

 Tail rather lighter brown, edged externally like the back. Feathers narrow, not acumi- 

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

 yellow. Length, about 5.00; wing, 2.(i5; tail, 2.50. Young with oehraceous, instead of 

 grayish-white wing-bauds." (Bist. N. Am. B.) 



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

 faintly indicated collar of ashy brownacrossthonape. Wing-bands light reddish brown. 

 Beneath almost precisely similar to the adult, with perhaps a slightly stronger yellowish 

 cast upon the abdomen and crissum. Distinguishable from E. traillii and E. acadicusin 

 corresponding stages by the decidedly paler and less yellowish under parts; especially 

 by the nearly clear ashy on the sides of the breast. From a specimen in my collection 

 taken at Cambridge, Mass.. .Tuly2, 1872. Other specimens in first plumage before me 

 differ little from the one above described, but autumnal specim-ens, singularly enough, 

 are much yellower below and more olivaceous above." (Beewstek, Bull. Nutt. Orn. 

 Club, Oct. 1878, p. 178.) 



This retiring httle bird, like its congeners, has notliing in its habits . 

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



