386 



NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Mitrephorus fulvifrons, var. pallescens, Coues. 



BUFF-BKEASTED LEAST FLYCATCHER. 



Miirephoms pallescens, Coues, Pr. Pliilail. Ac. 1860, (33 ^Fol■t Wliippk-, Arizona). — Coopeu, 

 Orn. Calif. I, 334. MUreplwrits fulvifrons, Elliot, Illust. H. Am. I, \i[. xix. 



Sp. Char. Above fulvous-gray, with an a.'iliy cast on the tail and crown ; lighter 

 across the nape. Two grayish-white liands across the wings, and the tci-minal half of the 

 secondaries and outer web of lateral tail-feather broadly edged with the same. Whole 

 lower parts, including the lores and cheeks, and lining of wing, hght ochraceous, very 

 deeply ochraceous across the breast and on the sides, nearly white on the abdomen and 

 crissura. Upper mandible deep black, lower whitish (" bright orange-yellow " in life) ; 

 feet deep black. Wing-formula: second, third, and fourth qudls equal and longest, 5, G, 1. 

 Tail very slightly emarginated, but lateral feather a little the shortest. Male. Length, 

 4.75; wing, 2.25; tail, 2.00; culmen, ..54 (measured to concealed base); breadth of bill, 

 .24 ; tarsus, .54 ; middle toe, .28. Female. Colors paler ; deep ochraceous of breast, etc., 

 less distinct. 



Hab. Southern border of Middle Province of United States (Fort Whipple, Arizona). 



The true M. fulvifrons of Me.xico differs simply in deeper cnlor.s, tlie 

 shade above being decidedly fulvous, instead of grayish, and the lower parts 

 much more deeply ochraceous, the abdomen not approaching white ; tlie 

 wing-markings are also tinged with ochraceous. 



Habits. This species, l)0th new to our fauna and previously undescribed, 

 was taken by Dr. Coues at Fort Whipple. It belongs to a newly established 

 genus of Flycatchers, recently established by ]\Ir. Sclater, similar to Empido- 

 nax. So far as known, its members are more or less tropical in their resi- 

 dence. It is a rare summer resident at Fort Whipple, arriving tliere early 

 in May. Nothing is stated in reference to its habits, except that they cor- 

 respond with those of the Emfndonaces. 



Gknus PYROCEPHALUS, Gould. 



Pi/roccpluilus, Gill LI), Zool. of Beagle, 1838, 44. 



Gen. Char. Tarsi 



moderate, very little longer than the middle toe ; hind toe not 



longer than the lateral. Bill 

 slender, very narrow at the base. 

 Tail broad, even, considerably 

 shorter than the wings (about 

 four fifths), which reach be- 

 yond the middle of the tail. 

 First quill shorter than the 

 fifth. Head with a conspicu- 

 ous rounded crest. Sexes dis- 

 similar. Male with the crown 

 and lower parts red (except in 

 E. ohscurus) ; tail, back, and 

 wings dark brown. 



Pijrorri>ltalus ritfjineu$. 



3B206 



