BIRDS — TYRANNXNAE — TYRANNUS COUCHII. 



175 



This species bears a close relationsliip to the T. verticalis, although the differences are readily 

 appreciable on comparison. The bill is rather larger; the legs considerably more so; the quills 

 are much more abruptly attenuated, and this near the tip, (within half an inch,) instead of 

 being gradually emarginated. The tail is more even, and in some specimens slightly rounded. 

 In respect to coloration, the ash of the head is considerably darker, that of the throat and breast 

 much more so, making a very conspicuous contrast with the white of the throat and yellow of 

 the belly ; the yellow beneath is brighter. The shoulders are more olivaceous. A very appre- 

 ciable character is seen in the tail. The whole outer web of the external feather, including the 

 shaft, in T. verticalis is purely and abruptly yellowish white, the extreme tips of all a little 

 brownish. In the present species the shaft of the outer tail-feather is dark brown, its outer 

 webs and a rather broad band at the end of the other feathers rather light brown, with the 

 extreme edges only of this color of a rather pure yellowish white. 



The identification of Tyrannus vociferans, Sw., with the present species, rather than with 

 verticalis, is rendered necessary by the statement of the author, that the bill is larger than that 

 of the king bird, instead of equal ; the primary quills abruptly pointed, instead of very gradually 

 attenuated ; the head, neck, and breast pure slate, with the chin white, in decided contrast, 

 instead of light ash, and the chin scarcely different. The absence of any mention of the white 

 outer web to the external tail feather is also very conclusive as to the name not being referable 

 to verticalis. The tail is said to be even. Mr. Swainson's specimen came from Temiscaltepec, 

 and one from a locality not very remote, presented by Mr, Gould, agrees precisely with skins 

 from the United States. The only discrepancy in Swainson's description is in speaking of the 

 tail and covert as deep black, instead of brownish black. 



List of specimens. 



TYRANNUS COUCHII, Baird. 



Couch's Flycatcher. 



Sp. Ch. — Bill aa long as the head. Feet stout. Five outer primaries abruptly attenuated at the end ; the third and fourth 

 longest ; the first a little longer than the sixth. Tail considerably forked ; (depth of fork about .30 of an inch.) Top and sides 

 of the head and neck light bluish ash ; rest of upper parts olivaceous green, tinged with ash, less of the olive on the rump ; a 

 concealed patch of red on the crown. Chin white, passing insensibly into an ashy tinge on the fore part of the breast ; rest of 

 under parts generally bright yellow, almost gamboge on the belly. ^The quills and tsil feathers are of about the same shade of 

 brown, not at all black ; in fact, the primaries are darkest ; the upper tail coverts are lighter brown than the tail ; the edi^es of 

 the wing feathers, except the primaries, are paler ; of the secondaries and tertials almost white. The tail feathers externally 

 are like the back ; internally and at the tip they are brownish white. The external web of the outer tail feather is like the 

 internal, the extreme edge only paler. The shafts of all are white beneath. 



Length 9.00 ; wing, 5.00 ; tail, 4.70. 



HiA. — Northeastern Mexico to Rio Grande. 



