296 LAND-BIRDS. 



Pewee, though somewhat like that of the Goldfinch's plain- 

 tive note. Their song-note is delivered energetically and 

 forcibly, the head being tossed or thrown back, and the 

 tail depressed. It resembles the syllables che-bee-u, and is 

 distinct from all other notes that I have ever heard. 



Nests of this species which I have lately examined are cup- 

 shaped, but shallow. They are usually built very near the 

 ground, and, according to Mr. Henshaw, in an upright fork. 



B. MINIMUS. Least Flycatcher. Least "Pewee" "Che- 

 bec." A common summer resident throughout Massachu- 

 setts.* 



a. Five inches long or more. Except in size, scarcely 

 different from E. traillii (A), unless somewhat grayer. 

 Notes and eggs, however, distinct. 



b. The nest is placed from five to twenty feet above 

 the ground, on a horizontal limb (frequently where it forks), 

 occasionally of a shade-tree, but more often of a tree in 

 some orchard or wood. It is sometimes built in a crotch, 

 and then resembles the Goldfinch's nest. It is composed 

 of fine grasses, rootlets (and pine needles), firmly woven 

 together with caterpillar's silk, cobwebs, cottony or woolen 

 substances, and such accidental materials as thread or string. 

 In eastern Massachusetts, four or fivef eggs are usually laid 

 in the first (or second) week of June; occasionally others 

 in July. They average .60 X -50 of an inch, and are white 

 or creamy. 



c. The Least Flycatchers are common summer residents 

 almost throughout New England, though rare in some of 

 the northern portions. They reach Massachusetts in the 

 first week of May, and remain there until the middle of 

 September. They affect both woods and orchards, in culti- 

 vated districts rather preferring the latter, particularly if 

 somewhat neglected and unfrequented. As a rule, they do 

 not resort to pine groves, or to very thick woods, as the 

 Wood Pewees often do. They prefer woodland composed 



* A common summer resident of the t Sets of more than four eggs are 

 whole of New England. W. B. extremely rare. W. B. 



