Vol. XVIII 

 igoi 



I YxR'LY.^, The Alder Flycatcher in Massachusetts. 347 



071 the mountain or along the Notch road. Mr. Torrey writes me, how- 

 ever, that at tlie time of his visit in 1885, he lieard the Hermit near the 

 summit, " singing freely." 



Mrs. Straw reports them as rather common at certain points lower 

 down the valley. 



85. Merula migratoria. American Robin. — x\bundant, especially in 

 the valley. I was surprised to observe a good many in the heavy timber 

 along the Notch road, far from clearings. I saw one also at the summit. 



86. Sialia sialis. Bluebird. — Rather uncommon; observed at the 

 base of the mountain and at Moscow. 



THE ALDER FLYCATCHER {EMPIDONAX TRAILLII 



ALNORUM) AS A SUMMER RESIDENT OF 



EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS. 



BY J. A. FARLEY. 



Certain facts in the life-history of the Alder Flycatcher con- 

 tribute to create the general impression that the bird is an 

 exceedingly rare summer resident of eastern Massachusetts. Its 

 chosen haunts are not too often in the eye of the world ; it is not 

 a vociferous species; and its manner of securing an existence 

 keeps it for the most part out of view of the casual observer. 

 Furthermore, the species being well known to arrive toward the 

 end of the spring migration, an Alder Flycatcher, appearing late 

 in May in the capacity of a returned summer resident, has 

 doubtless been often mistaken for a migrant still northward bound. 

 E. t. aliiorum therefore, while always breeding sparingly, is not 

 so rare a summer bird in the eastern part of Massachusetts as it 

 is commonly supposed to be. 



The Alder Flycatcher occurs in summer at various localities 

 in Essex and Middlesex counties. I have noted it in the breeding 

 season at Crane 'Neck Pond in Groveland, in northern Essex 

 County, and so near Boston as Fresh Pond, Cambridge ; also in 

 the towns of Wilmington, Lynnfield, and Wakefield. In one 

 locality in Essex County the bird is plainly increasing in numbers. 



