ARKANSAS FLYCATCHER. 161 



of the United States, more especially frequenting the scanty forests, 

 which, with many partial, and often total interruptions, extend along 

 the Arkansas, Canadian, and Platte rivers, where, in some districts, 

 they do not seem to be very uncommon. 



MUSCICAPA VERTICALIS. 



ARKANSAS FLYCATCHER. 



[Plate II. Fig. 2.] 

 Tyranniis verticalis, Say, in Long^s Expedition to the Rocky Mountains, ii., p. 60. 



This bird, brought from the Rocky Mountains by Major Long's ex- 

 ploring party, is so closely allied to many imperfectly described species 

 of the extensive genus to which it belongs, that ornithologists, at first 

 sight, may very reasonably doubt its pretensions to rank as a new 

 species. But, notwithstanding any doubt that may be produced by its 

 similarity to others, it is certainly an addition to the already numerous 

 catalogue of Flycatchers. 



The total length of the Arkansas Flycatcher is eight inches. The 

 bill is similar to that of the Crested Flycatcher, but is more rounded 

 above, and more abruptly inflected at tip, being of a blackish color, as 

 well as the feet. The head above, and nucha, are pure pale plumbeous ; 

 the crown has a restricted bright orange spot in the middle, invisible 

 when the feathers are at rest ; there is a dusky spot between the bill 

 and eyes. The cervix and back are pale plumbeous, tinged with oliva- 

 ceous, and deepening on the rump almost to blackish, which is the color 

 of the superior tail coverts. The chin is whitish ; the throat and upper 

 part of the breast are of the same color as the head, but paler ; the 

 remaining under surface, including the inferior wing and tail coverts, 

 is yellow. The wings are brown, the secondaries being margined ex- 

 teriorly Avith whitish ; the inner webs of the primaries are whitish 

 towards the base, and near the tips they are narrowed ; the first is 

 remarkably so, being almost falciform. The tail is of a deep brown- 

 black color, and very slightly emarginated ; the exterior feather is 

 white on the outer web, the shaft being white on the exterior half, and 

 brown on the interior. 



Say first described and named this bird in the second volume of the 

 work above quoted ; and he remarks that it is allied to the Tyramius 

 griseus and Tyrannus sulphur atus of Vieillot. There are many species 

 for which the Arkansas Flycatcher might more readily be mistaken ; 



Vol. III.— 11 



