570 BULLETIN 50, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



EMPIDONAX GRISEUS Brewster. 

 GRAY FLYCATCHER. 



Similar to E. tDrightii, but wing averaging decidedly longer, tail 

 shorter, ])il] longer and relatively narrower, and coloration much 

 grayer above. 



Adults {sexes alike) in spring and summer."' — Above plain grayish 

 olive or olive-gray, more decidedly gray on neck; tail deep graj^ish 

 brown, the outer webs of rectrices passing into grayisli olive or olive- 

 gray on edges, the outer web of lateral rectrix dull white or grayish 

 white; wings deep grayish l)rown, the middle and greater coverts 

 rather broadly tipped with ])ale gray (sometimes grayish white on 

 secondary coverts), forming two distinct bands, the secondaries edged 

 (except basall}^ with grayish white; primaries and greater coverts 

 narrowly edged with pale gray; an orbital ring of dull white; lores 

 dull white, intermixed with dusky; rest of sides of head and sides of 

 neck similar in color to upper parts, but paler and (especially sides 

 of neck) grayer, gradually fading below into grayish white on chin 

 and throat; chest and sides of breast pale brownish gray, gradually 

 fading out on flanks; rest of under parts white, usually faintly tinged 

 with primi"ose yellow; axillars and under wing-coverts 3^ellowish 

 white or pale prinu'ose yellow; inner webs of remiges edged with very 

 pale graj^ish huffy; maxilla brownish black or blackish brown; man- 

 dible pale lirownish (pinkish or lilaceous in life?) usually with ter- 

 minal portion more or less extensively dusky; iris brown; legs and 

 feet brownish black or blackish brown. 



Adults in autumn and winter. ^ — Similar to the spring and summer 

 plumage, but upper parts more decidedly olive and white of under 

 parts replaced by pale primrose yellow. 



Young. — Similar to spring and simimer adults, but wing-bands pale 

 buff instead of gray or grayish white; upper parts brownish gray or 

 grayish brown rather than olive; gray of chest more ])rownish, and, 

 white of under parts tinged with pale brownish buff. 



Adult mrt?^.— Length (skins), 125-142 (133); wing, 68.5-76.5 (72.6); 

 tail, 57.5-64 (60.S); exposed culmen, 12-13.5 (12.9); tarsus, 17-20.5 

 (18.3); middle toe, 8.5-10 (9.5).'^ 



o Wliile the two phases of coloration (the one with lower parts white and that with 

 under parts primrose yellow) are no more different in this form than in E. wrightii, 

 they seem to be mainly seasonal, a large majority of those which are white, or very faintly 

 tinged with yellow beneath, being spring and summer birds while those decidedly 

 yellowish beneath were nearly all obtained in autumn or winter. 



b Specimens in this plumage are occasionally taken at other seasons, and vice versa. 



c Eighteen specimens. 



