126 THE NATURALIST’S GUIDE. 
met with it but once,—on June 1, 1869, in a swampy 
thicket ; it was very shy. I heard no note. 
116. Empidonax minimus, Bairp.— Least Ply. 
catcher. Comuinon summer resident. Breeds, Arrives from 
April 22d to May 5th ; leaves abont the middle of Septem- 
ber. Seen everywhere. Specimens differ in the intensity 
of the olivaceous green upon the back; those which are 
found in the woods are much darker than those which in- 
habit the orchards or straggling trees, these being often 
quite gray. They are also exceedingly variable in size. 
117. Empidonax flaviventris, Bairp.—Yedlow-bel- 
lied Flycatcher. On May 31, 1869, I shot the first speci- 
men I had ever seen living; the next day (June Ist) I 
>took ecght of both sexes in a few hours! Between this 
time and the 10th I took two or three more. I do not 
donbt that it has occurred in previous seasons, but, heing 
unaccustomed to its low note,— which is like the syl- 
lable Pea very plaintively and prolongedly given, — and 
its retiring habits, I had not detected it before. The 
specimens captured were all, with the exception of the 
first, — which was shot on a tall oak,— taken in low, 
swampy thickets. It kceps near the ground, is rather shy, 
and upon the appearance of the intruder instantly ceases 
its song. ‘Shot a specimen on May 25, 1869, in Water- 
town, singing, with its peculiar note, in an apple-tree. I 
have shot the female singing in the same manner, in Au- 
gust, 1867, in Franconia, New Hampshire. The only note 
I ever heard was the low Pea.” * 
I have yet to hear the “ pleasing song” attributed to 
this species and other members of the genus. I think 
that the anatomical structure of the throat and larynx is 
not of the complicated character seen in singing-birds ; and 
therefore consider it a physical impossibility for members 
of this genus to produce a variety of melodious notes. 
* MS. Notes of W. Brewster. 
