THE LEAST FLYCATCHER. 141 



gives it as breeding in that State ; and I have no doubt it 

 occasionally passes the summer in each of the New-England 

 States. I had a nest and four eggs brought me in June, 

 1864, found in Eastern Massachusetts, that were almost 

 exactly like those of E. minimus; but the bird brought 

 with the nest was unquestionably of this species : whether 

 or not the two belonged together I cannot say, but think 

 that they probably did. The person who collected them 

 informed me that the nest was found in an 'apple-tree in an 

 old orchard : it was built in a small fork about twenty feet 

 from the ground. The bird attacked the person who found 

 it, courageously flying in his face, and snapping its bill 

 with anger, and uttering a querulous twitter like that of the 

 Phebe. The eggs were nearly hatched ; and, as they were 

 found on the 20th of June, they must have been laid by 

 the 10th of that month. 



Two eggs in my cabinet, from near Quebec, Lower Can- 

 ada, collected by William Couper, Esq., who informs me 

 this species is occasionally met with there, are of a creamy- 

 white color, like that of the eggs of E. minimus ; each egg 

 having a very few pale reddish-brown dots. The form of 

 the eggs is more elongated than that of the eggs of minimus, 

 the dimensions being .77 by .53 inch, and .76 by .55 inch. 



EMPIDONAX MINIMUS. Baird. 

 Jt The Least Flycatcher ; Chebec. 



Tyrannula minima, William M. and S. F. Baird. Pr. A. N. Sc. I. (July, 1843) 

 284. /&., Sillim. Ain. Jour. Sc. (July, 1844). And., Birds Amer. VII. (1844) 343, 

 pi. 491. 



DESCRIPTION. 



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 coverts; the middle of the back 

 most strongly olivaceous; the nape (in some individuals) and sides of the head 

 tinged with ash ; a ring round 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 coter 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-white, turning to pale sulphur- 

 yellow on the sides of the belly, abdomen, and lower tail coverts ; wings brown 



