254 EMPIDONAX MINIMUS, LEAST FLYCATCHER. 



EMPIDONAX MINIMUS, Bd, 



least Flycatcjier. 



Mmeieapa "acadica, Gm." of Nutt., Man. i, 1832, 288; not of authors. 



Tijrannula minima, W. M. &. S. F. Baird., Pr. Pbila. Acad, i, 1843, 284; Am. Journ. Sci. 

 July, 1844.— Bp., Consp. Ay. i, 1850, 190. 



Musdcapa minima, AuD., B. Am. vii, 1844, 343, pi. 491. 



Empidonax minimus, Bd., B. N. A. 1858, 195.— ScL., P. Z. S. 18,59, 384 (Oaxaca) ; Ibis, 

 1859, 1-22 (Guatemala) ; 1859, 441 (Orizaba); Cat. 1862, 229 (Cobau, DueBas, 

 &c.).— ScL. & Salv., Ibis, 18.59, 122.— Hayd., Rep. 1862, 158.— Wheat., Ohio 

 Agric. Eep. 1860, No. 51.— CouEs & Phent., Smiths. Rep. 1861, 404 — Verr., 

 Pr. Ess. Inst, iii, 146 (breeding commonly about Norway, Me.).— Allen, Pr. 

 Ess. Inst, vi, 1864, 54.— McIlwe., iUd. v, 1866, 84.— CouES, ihid. v, 1868, 265.— 

 Dbess., Ibis, 1865, 474 (Texas).— Lawr., Ann. Lye. N. Y. yiii, 186!j, 290.— 

 TuRXB., B. E. Pa. 1H69, 14 (chiefly migratory, but some breeding). — Allex, 

 Jlim. Bost. Soc. i, 1868, 498, 505. 517 (Iowa and Illinois).- Mayx., Guide, 1870, 

 126 ; Pr. Bost. Soc. 1871.— ScL. & S.ii.v., P. Z. S. 1870, 837 (Honduras).— 8xow, a? -9 

 B. Kans. 1873, 4.— Allex, Bull. M. C. Z. iii, 179 (Kansas).— CouES, Key, 1872, . ' 

 175.— B. B. & R., N. A. B. ii, 1874, 372, pi. 44, f. 10. 



Hob. — Eastern North America to the high central plains ; up the Missouri to Fort '^ ^ .' 

 Union. Breeds abundantly from Southern New England northward. Winters in ^"^ 

 Central America. 



Lieutenant Warren's Expedition.— 4693, "Nebraska" (probably Dakota); 4699, 4700-1, 

 L'Eau qui court ; 4702, Vermilion River ; 5270, near Powdijr River. 



It is singular that a bird so abiiudaut as this is in the Eastern United 

 States should have been overlooked by Wilson and Audubon, or, what 

 is more probable, cotifouuded with U. acadicus. Nuttall was perfectly 

 familiar with it, though he thought it was the Acadian Flycatcher. It, 

 however, escaped Audubon's attention, having only been brought to his 

 notice, by Prof. Baird, just as he was finishing his work. It is very 

 common in the Middle States during the migrations. At Washington, 

 D. C, it usually arrives the last week in April, and is seen for about 

 two weeks only ; it returns the last of August, and loiters through most 

 of September. Its arrival is about a week earlier, on an average, than 

 that of E.farireniris. I never found it in summer, and Prof. Baird, in 

 AuduboD, states that it is not seen about Carlisle, Pennsylvania, after 

 May ; but Dr. Turnbull says that a few remain to breed. It breeds 

 abundantly iu most parts of Xew England ; in Massachusetts Mr. Allen 

 found it as numerous as all the other Empidonaces put together. Some 

 individuals press on into the Hudson's Bay country, and in the West 

 its exteusiou is much greater than that of typical traiUii orflavivevrris, 

 particularly along the Missouri itself, and the Bed Eiver, where the 

 wooded ri^'er-bottoms aiford it congenial shelter. Dr. Hayden saw it 

 occasionally " throughout the West," and Audubon mentions it from 

 the Yellowstone. Like others of the genus, it penetrates to Central 

 and Northern South America in winter, and it is also quoted from por- 

 tions of Mexico. 



It is not ordinarily found in gloomy woods, like U. aeadicus, nor even 

 in heavy timber of any kind ; it prefers the skirts of woods, coppices, and 

 even hedge-rows. It is readily distinguishable from aeadicus by this 

 circumstance alone, to say nothing of the several personal peculiarities — i 



so to speak — slight traits, almost impossible to describe intelligently, ' 



but which the field naturalist learns to recognize in a moment. Its 

 usual voice is lower and more plaintive, though one of its call-notes is 

 sharp and jerky ; and its flight is slightly difi'erent, owing to the marked 

 diiference in the shape of the wing. la all these particulars it comes 

 much nearer trailUi and flavirenlris, as has been already hinted. 



The Least Flycatcher is more numerous during the breeding season 

 along the Bed Eiver of the North than I have found it to be anywhere 

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