TYRANNIDJi; — THE FLYCATCHERS. 343 



a half-cup. Tliey are fastened to a wall, or sometimes placed on a shelf, 

 beam, or ledge of a rock, but are always under some protecting cover, often 

 under a bridge. They are lined with fine grass or moss, and horse or cow 

 hair. The eggs, four or five in number, he describes as pure white, measur- 

 ing .74 by .55 of an inch. 



This bird is said to prefer the vicinity of human habitations, and also to 

 keep about water, on account of the numerous flies they And in such situa- 

 tions. It will often sit for hours at a time on tJie end of a barn, or some 

 other i^ei'ch, uttering a monotonous but not unjileasant ditty, which resembles, 

 according to Dr. Cooper, the sound of pittin 'pittit, alternately repeated, and 

 quite like the cry of the eastern Sayornis fuscus, which is its exact counter- 

 part in habits. It is said to fly only a short distance at a time, turning and 

 dodging quickly in pursuit of its prey, which it captures with a sharp snap 

 of the bill. 



This species was met with by Mr. Eidgway only in the vicinity of Sacra- 

 mento City, Cal, where it seemed to replace our eastern Pewee, having the 

 same familiarity and general habits, and with notes not distinguishable from 

 some belonging to S. fuscus. 



The eggs of this species, as described by Dr. Cooper and by Dr. Heermann, 

 are either pure white unspotted, or else white with fine red dots, in this 

 respect resemljling the eggs of the )S'. fuscus, whicli present the same varia- 

 tions. The measurements of those in my cabinet vary from .75 by .56 of an 

 inch to .78 by .60. 



Mr. Salvin says that Sayornis nigricans is a resident species at Dueiias, in 

 Guatemala, where it may always be found at a short distance from the vil- 

 lage, up the stream of the river Guacatate. It also occurs about the lake. 

 In its actions it is described as a lively and restless sjjecies, in this respect 

 having but little resemblance to the Tyrant Flycatchers. It may always be 

 found near water, generally sitting on a stone on the margin, from which it 

 constantly darts to seize a fly or an insect from the surface. His remarks 

 may, however, refer to the var. ctquaticus. 



Sayornis fuscus, Baird. o 



PEWEE; PH(EBE-BIED. 



Vuscicapa fusca, Gmelin, Syst. Kat. I, 17S8, 931. — Lath.4.m, Index, Orn. II, 1790, 483. 



— ViEiLLOT, Ois. Am. Sept. I, 1807, 68, pi. xl. — Bonap. Obs. Wilson, 1825, no. 115. 



— Ib. SjTiopsis, 68. — AuD. Orn. Biog. II, 1834, 122 ; V, 1839, 424, pi. cxx. — Ib. 

 Synopsis, 1839, 43. — la. Birds Am. I, 1840, 223, pi. Ixiii. — Giraud, Birds L. 

 Island, 1844, 42. Tyrannula fusca, EiCH. List, 1837. — Bonap. List, 1838. Tyran- 

 nusfusais, Nuttall, Man. I, (2d ed.,) 1840, 312. ! Aulanax fuscus, Cabanis, Cab. 

 Joum. IV, 1856, 1. Muscicapa alra, GiiELl.v, Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 946. — Nuttall, 

 Man. I, 1832, 278. Muscicapn jjlitcbc, Latham, Index Oni. II, 1790, 489. Muscicapa 

 nunciola, WiLsox, Am. Orn. II, 1810, 78, pi. xiii. Jfi/iobius nunciola, (Juay, Genera, 



