BIRDS OF NORTH AND MIDDLE AMERICA. 565 



EMPIDONAX HAMMONDII (Xantus). 



HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER. 



Similar to E. minimus, but wing, tail, and middle toe much longer, 

 bill much narrower, and coloration of under parts darker and more 

 uniform. Similar, also, to E. wrightii, but wing-formula very differ- 

 ent (tenth primary longer than fifth, instead of shorter), bill much 

 smaller, tail averagmg decidedly shorter (but wing slightly longer), 

 tarsus decidedly shorter, and coloration of under parts more uniform. 



Adults (sexes alil-e), white-hellied jyJiase.'^ — Pileum and hindneck 

 didl deep brownish gray (nearly mouse gray), the back, scapulars, 

 lesser wing-coverts, rump, and upper tail-coverts similar, but decid- 

 edly more olive; tail deep grayish brown, the outer webs of rectrices 

 passing into light grayish olive or olive-gray on edges, the outer web 

 of lateral rectrix pale olive-grayish; primaries deep grayish brown, 

 narrowly and indistinctly edged with lighter grayish; middle and 

 greater coverts dusky, broadly tipped with pale gray or dull grayish 

 white (forming two distinct bands) ; secondaries dusky edged (except 

 basally) with dull whitish; an orbital ring of dull white, broader 

 posteriorly and below; lores grayish white anteriorly, largely (some- 

 times mostly) dusky posteriorly; rest of sides of head and sides of neck 

 similar in color to pileum and hindneck, but slightly paler, gradually 

 fading below into the dull grayish white of median portion of chin 

 and throat; chest and sides of breast pale gray, gradually fading on 

 sides and flanks; rest of under parts dull white, yellowish white, or 

 very pale primrose yellow; axillars and under wing-coverts pale prim- 

 rose yellow or yellowish white, the feathers pale grayish basally; 

 inner webs of remiges edged with pale grayish buffy; maxilla brown- 

 ish black or blackish brown, mandible pale brownish (more or less 

 deep); iris brown; legs and feet blackish brown or brownish black. 



Adults, yelloiv-helUed phase. — Similar to the whitish bellied ])hase, 

 but more olivaceous (sometimes brownish olive) above, chest and 

 sides of breast olive or buffy olive, and abdomen, etc., primrose or 

 sulpluo" yellow. 



Young. — Essentially like whitish-bellied adults, but color of upper 

 parts grayish brown, rather than olive, wmg-bands light buffy, and 

 marginal under wing-coverts buffy. 



Adult 7/ia/6.— Length (skins), 120-135 (1:24); wing, 68-74 (71.3); 

 tail, 55-61 (57.9); exposed culmen, 10-11 (10.7); tarsus, 15.5-17.5 

 (16.2); middle toe, 9-10 (9.2).^ 



«As in E. vrightii, the two color phases of this species seem to be mainly inde- 

 pendent of season. A majority of specimens do not represent either phase in its 

 extreme differentiation, 1)nt are variously intermediate. 



f> Twelve specimens. 



