256 E. FLAVIVENTRIS, YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER. 



(Guateniula). — Wiikat., Ohio Agric. Eep. 1860, No. 53. — CouES & Prent., 

 Smiths. Rep. 18()1, 404 (luigmtoiy, perhaps breeding).— Vki;h., Pr. Ess. lust, 

 iii, 14(5 (Maiue, suiimier).— Allen, ibid, iv, 1H64, 5,') (Massachusetts, May aud 

 June). — McIlwr., ibid, v, 1866, 84. — Coups, ibid, v, 186», 265. — Lawk., Ann. 

 Lye. N. Y. viii, 1863, 8 (New Grauada) ; viii, 1866,290; ix, 1808, 114 (Costa 

 Rica).— ScL. & Salt., F. Z. S. 1S70, 837 (Honduras).— Allen, Mem. Bast. Soc 

 i, 1868, 518 (Illiuois).— TuRNB., B. E. Pa. 1869, 14 (breeding- in New Jersey).— 

 SUMICH., Mem. Bost. Soc. i, 1869, 557 (Vera Cruz).— Mayn., Guide, 1870, 126; 

 Pr. Bost. Soc. 1871 (breeding commonly at Fraueouia, N. H.). — Coop., B. Cal. 1, 

 1870, 328.— Snow, B. Kans, 1873, 4.— Coues, Kev, 1872, 175.— B. B. & R., N. A. B. 

 ii, 1874, 378, pi. 44, f. 12. 



Tyranmda minuia, Bp., Consp. i, 1850, 189 (so identifies Mnscicapa mintda, WiLs!). 



(?) " Tyrannula pmilla, Reinh., Vidensk. Meddel. (or 1853 (1854), 82.— Gloger, J. f. O. 

 1854, 426." — Reinh., Ibis, Jan. 1861, 7. (These citations refer to a siiecimen 

 taken in Godthaah, Greenland, in 1853). 



Empidonax hypoxanthiis, Bi>., B. N. A. 1858, 198 (in test). 



b. (UfficiUs. 



E-.npUlonax difflcilis, Bd., B. N. A. 1858, 198 (in text) ; pi. 76, f. 2.— Coop. & Suck., N. 



II. Wash. Ter. I860,' 170, and "p. sv, errata."— Coues, Pr. Phila. Acad. 1866, 



62 (Arizona).— SCL., Cat. 1862, 230. 

 Empidonax flavireiitris var. difficilis, Allen, Bull. M. C. Z. iii, 1872, 179 (Utah).— CouES, 



Key, 1872, 176 (in text).— B. B. & R., N. A. B. ii, 1874, 380. 



Hah. — North America, at large. (?) Greenland. South through Mexico and Central 

 America to New Grauada. Breeds from the Middle States northward. The typical 

 form eastern. Var. difficHis western. 



In size between average traillii and minimus, this species difiers from these and all 

 our other Flycatchers by the decided yellowness of the under parts — a coloration so 

 distinctive that the bird is always recognizable on sight. The Prince Bonaparte iden- 

 tifies it with the long lost " Mnscicapa miiiida " — the Small-headed Flycatcher of Wil- 

 son, Audubon, and Nuttall — a very questionable reierence. 



This species reaches the Middle States a little later than the three 

 other eastern species of the genus — not ordinarily until the very last of 

 April or iirst week in May. It is found in high open woods as well as 

 in thickets, thus differing somewhat in the situation it affects from 

 minimus. Dr. Prentiss and 1 have taken it at Washington, at diflerent 

 times in July, probably indicating that it breeds in the vicinity, as it 

 certainly does a little further north : Dr. Turnbull mentions Trenton, 

 New Jersey, as a localitj- where Dr. Slack found it nesting. According 

 to ^Ir. Maynard, whose opportunities for observation appear to have 

 been ample, it breeds abundantly in Northern New England. In his 

 excellent Manual of Taxidermy, he remarks : " May 31, 18G9, 1 shot the 

 first specimen I had ever seen living; the next day I took eight of both 

 sexes in a few hours. Between this time and the 10th of June I took 

 two or three more;" this was in Massachusetts. The writer continues: 

 " I do not doubt that it has occurred in previous se.isons, but, being 

 unaccustomed to its low note — which is like the syllable ^;m very plain- 

 tively prolonged — and its retiring habits, I had not detected it before. 

 The sjiecimens were all taken in low, swampy thickets, with the excep- 

 tion of the first, which was shot on a tall oak. It keeps near the ground, 

 is rather shy, and upon the appearance of an intruder instantly ceases 

 its song. ' Shot a si)ecimen on May 25, 1809, in Watertown, Massachu- 

 setts, singing, with its peculiar note, in an apple-tree. I have shot the 

 female singing in the same manner, in August, 18G7, in Franconia, New 

 Hampshire, The only note I ever heard was the low ^^m ( Cr^K'-s^er).'" 

 In his later publication, after speaking of the abundance and breeding 

 of the bird in Northern New England, Mr. ]Ma.ynard remarks that in the 

 dark swamps at Upton he first heard the breeding note ; ''it was like 

 the syllables lil-Uc, very gilively gixen, with a long interval between 

 each utterance. The song was even less energetic than that of traillii. 

 While singing, the birds were perched on low limbs. Both male and 

 female used this note." 



