tbaill's flycatcher. 267 



The position of the nest of acctdicus is given on the opposite page, 

 and that of Traill's Flycatcher is said to be always in an upright fork. 

 Strange to say, the nest found by Dr. Macallum did not correspond 

 with either, being "placed on the upper surface of a tolerably large 

 limb." I still hope to hear of the species being found in the district 

 indicated, and hope the above description may lead to its identi- 

 fication. 



EMPIDONAX PUSILLUS TRAILLII (Aud.). 

 192. Traill's Flycatcher. (466a) 



Above, olive-brown, lighter and duller brownish posteriori}-, darker 

 anteriorly, owing to obviously dusky centres of the coronal feathers ; below, 

 nearly as in acadiciiti, but darker, the olive-gray shading quite across the 

 breast ; wing markings, grayish-white, with slight yellowish or tawny shade ; 

 under mandible, pale ; upper mandible and feet, black. Averaging a little 

 less than acadicus, 5J-6 ; wing, 2§-2|, more rounded, its tips only reaching 

 about § of an inch beyond the secondaries, formed by second, third and fourth 

 quills as before, but fifth not so much shorter (hardly or not J of an inch), the 

 first ranging between fifth and sixth ; tail, 2J ; tarsus, § as before, but middle 

 toe and claw three-fifths, the feet thus difterently proportioned owing to lengtli 

 of the toes. 



Hab. — Eastern Nortli America, breeding from the Middle States (Southern 

 Illinois and Missouri) northward, in winter, south to Central America. 



Nest, in an upright fork, firmly secured in its place with the stringy fibres 

 of bark, deeply cupped, composed chiefly of vegetable fibres, lined with dry 

 grass and thistle down. 



Eggs, three or four, variable, usually creamy-white, blotched, chiefly toward 

 the larger end, with reddish-brown. 



Traill's Flycatcher is not much known in Ontario, the number of 

 collectors being few. By the ordinary observer the bird may readily 

 be mistaken for others of its class which it closely resembles. Mr. 

 Saunders has found it near London, and I have met with it now and 

 then in the moist, secluded ravines by the shore of the Dundas Marsh, 

 but it is by no means common. 



Mr. White has collected one or two specimens at Ottawa, and 

 Prof. Macoun got one at Lake Manitoba. 



From its being found to the east, west and north it is most likely 

 distributed throughout the Province, but just how rare or common 

 it may be is hard to say, for there is nothing attractive in its appear- 

 ance or manner, and in habits it is so retiring that it may readily be 

 overlooked. 



