268 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. 



The difficulty in identifying these small Flycatchers is owing to 

 the close resemblance they bear to one another. In coloring the 

 present species is almost identical with the Least Flycatcher, but it 

 measures half an inch longer. It also resembles the Acadian Fly 

 catcher, but the present species measures a quarter of an inch less in 

 length, and is olive brown, while acadicus is olive green. This slight 

 difference in the shade of color, or in the size of a specimen, makes it 

 often difficult to say to which group it belongs. 



EMPIDONAX MINIMUS BAIRD. 

 193. Least Flycatcher. (467) 



Colors almost exactly as in traillii ; usually, however, olive-gray rather 

 than olive-brown ; the wing markings, eye-ring and loral feathers, plain 

 grayish-white ; the whole anterior parts often with a slight ashy cast ; under 

 mandible, ordinarily dusky ; feet, black. It is a smaller bird than traillii, and 

 not so stoutly built ; the wing-tip projects only about \ an inch beyond the 

 secondaries ; the fifth quill is but a little shorter than the fourth, the first apt 

 to be nearer the sixth than fifth ; the feet are differently proportioned, being 

 much as in acadicus ; the bill is obviously under \ inch long. Length, 5-5.25 ; 

 wing, 2.60 or lex*; tail, about 2.25. 



HAB. Eastern North America, south in winter to Central America ; breeds 

 from the Northern States northward. 



Nest, in the fork of a sapling or tree, composed of vegetable fibre and 

 wilted weeds, with a compact lining of plant down, horse-hair and fine grass. 



Eggs, three or four, usually pure white, occasionally a set or part of a set are 

 found dotted with dusky. 



The Least Flycatcher is very common throughout Ontario, and is 

 mentioned among the birds found by Prof. Macoun in the North- 

 West Territory. In the " Birds of Manitoba " it is mentioned as a 

 common summer resident, and many instances given of its capture 

 at different points. It arrives near Hamilton about the end of the 

 first week in May, soon after which its short, sharp call, " Chebec" 

 is heard by the outer edge of the woods, and even in the city 

 orchards it takes its location and raises its family. As soon as the 

 young ones are able to fly, the birds disperse more generally over the 

 country, and are in no haste to retire, but linger till the cold weather 

 cuts off their supply of food. 



As the correct identification of the small flycatchers is often a 

 puzzle to the amateur, and as the build of the nest and the markings 



