378 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Empidonax flaviventris, Baird. 



YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER. 



Tyrannula flaviventris, Wm. M. and S. F. Baird, Pr. Ac. Nat. Sc. Phila. I, July, 1843, 

 283. —Ib. Am. Journ. Science, April, 1844. —AuD. Birds Am. VII, 1844, 341, pi. 

 ccccxc. Tyrannula pusilla (Swainson), Reinhardt, Vidensk. Meddel. for 1853, 

 1854, 82. — Gloger, Cab. Jour. 1854, 426. Empidonax hypoxanthus, Baird (pro- 

 visional name for eastern specimens). Empidonax difficilis, Baird (provisional name 

 for western). Emjndonax flaviventris, Baird, Birds N. Am. 1859, 198. — Sclater, 

 Catal. 1862, 229. — Maynard, B. E. Mass. 1870, 126. 



Sp. Char. Second, third, and fourth quills nearly equal ; first intermediate between 

 fifth and sixth. Tail nearly even, slightly rounded. Tarsi long. Above bright olive- 

 green (back very similar to that of Vireo novehoracensis) ; crown rather darker. A 

 broad yellow ring round the eye. The sides of the head, neck, breast and body, and a 

 band across the breast like the back, but lighter ; the rest of the lower parts bright 

 greenish sulphur-yellow ; no white or ashy anywhere on the body. Quills dark brown ; 

 two bands on the wing formed by the tips of the primary and secondary coverts, the 

 outer edge of the first primary and of the secondaries and tertials pale yellow, or greenish- 

 yellow. The tail-feathers brown, with the exterior edges like the back. The bill dark 

 brown above, yellow beneath. The feet black. In the autumn the colors are purer, the 

 yellow is deeper, and the markings on the wings of an ochrey tint. Length, 5.15 ; wing, 

 2.83 ; tail, 2.45. 



Hab. Eastern United States, and Eastern Middle America, south to Costa Rica. Lo- 

 calities : Guatemala (Scl. Ibis, I, 122); Xalapa (Scl. Ibis, I, 441); Choctun, Dueiias, 

 (ScL. Catal. 1862, 230) ; Costa Rica (Lawr. IX, 114) ; Panama (Lawr. VIII, 63) ; Vera 

 Cruz, winter, resident? (Sum. M. B. S. I, 557) ; San Antonio, Texas (Dresser, Ibis, 1865, 

 475). 



Specimens from the eastern regions of North and Middle America, 

 though varying slightly among themselves, all agree in the characters which 

 distinguish them from the western series. 



Habits. This well-marked species was first obtained in Carlisle, Penn., 

 and described by the Bairds in 1843. It has since remained a comparatively 

 rare and scattered species, and has been only seldom met with. I found it 

 breeding in the vicinity of Halifax, and also among the Grand Menan 

 Islands, and in both cases was so fortunate as to be able to obtain .its nest 

 and eggs. It has been found near Calais by Mr. Boardman, and its nest 

 also procured. It has also been found breeding near Trenton, N. J., by 

 Dr. Slack, and in a not distant locality in the same State by Dr. Abbott. 



Dr. Coues observed the Yellow-bellied Flycatcher to be a rather rare 

 spring and autumnal visitant at Washington. As specimens were taken there 

 July 28, undoubtedly they occasionally breed there. They appear early in 

 May, and go south the latter part of September. 



Two specimens of Flycatcher, identified as of this species, are recorded 

 by Professor Pteinhardt as having been taken at Godthaab, Greenland, in 

 1853. 



Sumichrast met with this species in Vera Cruz, but whether as a resident 



