386 



NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Mitrephorus fulvifrons, var. pallescens, Coues. 



BUFF-BREASTED LEAST FLYCATCHER. 



Mitrephorus pallescens, Coues, Pr. Philad. Ac. 1866, 63 (Fort Whipple, Arizona). — Cooper, 

 Orn. Calif. I, 334. Mitrephorus fulvifrons, Elliot, lUust. B. Am. I, pi. xix. 



Sp. Char. Above fulvous-gray, with an ashy cast on the tail and crown; ligliter 

 across the nape. Two grayish-white bands across the wings, and the terminal half of the 

 secondaries and outer web of lateral tail-feather broadly edged with the same. Whole 

 lower parts, including the lores and cheeks, and lining of wing, light ochraceous, very 

 deeply ochraceous across the breast and on the sides, nearly white on the abdomen and 

 crissum. Upper mandible deep black, lower whitish (" bright orange-yellow " in life) ; 

 feet deep black. Wing-formula : second, third, and fourth quills equal and longest, 5, 6, 1. 

 Tail very slightly emarginated, but lateral feather a little the shortest. Male. Length, 

 4.75; wing, 2.25; tail, 2.00; culmen, .54 (measured to concealed base); breadth of bill, 

 .24 ; tarsus, .54 ; middle toe, .28. Female. Colors paler ; deep ochraceous of breast, etc., 

 less distinct. 



Hab. Southern border of Middle Province of United States (Fort Whipple, Arizona). 



The true M. fulvifrons of Mexico differs simply in deeper colors, the 

 shade above being decidedly fulvous, instead of grayish, and the lower parts 

 much more deeply ochraceous, the abdomen not approaching wliite ; the 

 wing-markings are also tinged with ochraceous. 



Habits. This species, Ijoth new to our fauna and previously undescribed, 

 was taken by Dr. Coues at Fort Whipple. It belongs to a newly established 

 genus of Flycatchers, recently established by Mr. Sclater, similar to Eminclo- 

 nax. So far as known, its members are more or less tropical in their resi- 

 dence. It is a rare summer resident at Fort Whipple, arriving there early 

 in May. Nothing is stated in reference to its habits, except that they cor- 

 respond with those of the Mnpidonaces. 



Genus PYROCEPHALUS, Gould. 



Pyrocc2)halus, Gould, Zool. of Beagle, 1838, 44. 



Gen. Char. Tarsus moderate, very little longer than the middle toe ; hind toe not 



longer than the lateral. Bill 

 slendei', very narrow at the base. 

 Tail broad, even, considerably 

 shorter than the wings (about 

 four fifths), which reach be- 

 yond the middle of the tail. 

 First quill shorter than the 

 fifth. Head Avith a conspicu- 

 ous rounded crest. Sexes dis- 

 similar. Male with the crown 

 and lower parts red (except in 

 E. ohscurus) ; tail, back, and 

 wings dark brown. 



Vyrocephabis rubineus. 



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