NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 251 



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Six eggs exhibit the following measurements: .72X.55, .70X.53, 

 .70X.52, .64X.53, .69X.52, .70X.53. An average specimen measures 

 .73 X .53. The eggs of trailli are paler in ground-color and markings 

 than those of acadictis^ but the diflference is so slight that no one can 

 differentiate them with certainty. 



467. Empidonax minimus Baird. [326.] 



Least Flycatcher. 



Hab. Eastern North America, south in winter through Central to Northern South America. Breeds 

 from the Northern States northward. 



In all the States between the Atlantic and the Great Plains the 

 lycast Flycatcher is an abundant species, occurring as a migrant and 

 breeding from about 40° latitude northward. Breeds abundantly in New 

 England and throughout all the Northern States — New York, Michigan, 

 Wisconsin, Minnesota, etc. An abundant summer resident in Mani- 

 toba. Adult and young specimens have been taken at San Angelo, 

 Texas, during the breeding season. It is reported as breeding com- 

 monly at Fannin county, Texas, and sometimes in the State of Nebraska. 

 The bird frequents the borders of woods and thickets, particularly the 

 edges of lowland forests and the more open swamps. 



The nest, commonly placed in an upright fork of a small tree or 

 sapling, sometimes on a horizontal limb, is small, compact and felted 

 of fine, soft materials — bark-fibres, intermingled with vegetable down, 

 lined with fine grasses and shreds of bark, or, as is frequently the 

 case, with a few feathers. 



The nest bears a strong resemblance to that of the Redstart, and the 

 eggs cannot be mistaken for those of any of our Flycatchers of the East- 

 ern States, as they are wholly unlike any of them. They are normally 

 pure white or buffy-white, unmarked^ rarely speckled ; their number is 

 sometimes only two or three, usually four, and their average size is 

 .65X.50. Seven eggs measure .60X.50, .62X.50, .64X.51, .64X.52, 

 .65'x.53, .63X.50, .64X .51. May and June are the nesting months. 



468. Empidonax hammondi (Xantus) [327.] 



Hammond'a Flycatcher. 



Hab. Western North America, south in winter to Southern Mexico, north to the Lesser Slave Lake. 



The Western representative of the Least Flycatcher from the 

 Plains to the Pacific. The nesting and eggs are said to be substantially 

 like those of E. viininius. On account of its general plain, soiled color 

 it is called Dirty Little Flycatcher. 



469. Empidonax obscurus. (Swains.) [328.] 



Wright's Flycatcher. 



Kab. Western United States, south to Southern Mexico, east to Rocky Mountains. 



The Gray Little Flycatcher is common to the woodland, groves 



