534 OENITHOLOGY. 



Sayoenis nigeicans. 



Black Pewcc. 



Tyrannula nigricans, Swainson, Synop. Mex. liirds, Ebilos. Mag., T, 1827, 367. 



Sayornis nigricans, BoNAr., Com]). Eend., XXVIII, 1854, 87. — Baird, B. N. Am., 

 1858, 183; Cat. N. Am. B., 1859, No. 134.— Coopee, Oru. Cal.,I, 1870, 311).— 

 CouES, Key, 1872, 172; Check List, 1873, No. 251.— B. B. & E., Hist. N.Am. 

 B., II, 1874, 340, pi. XLV, fig. 1.— Henshaw, 1875, 347. 



The Black Powee was fouud only at Sacramento, wlierd it was rather 

 common about the out-buildings of habitations near the river. In its socia- 

 ble disposition, its movements, and its ordinary note of chip, it reminded us 

 exactly of the eastern S. fuscus; we did not, however, bear it utter a note 

 similar to that from which the latter receives its common name, but judging 

 from the extreme similarity of the other notes, so ftir as heard, consider it 

 likely that the one to which w-e refer is also uttered. 



Sayoenis sayus. 



Say's Pewec. 



(To-qiie'-oh of the Paiutes.) 



Muscicapa sayu, Bonap., Am. Oin., I, 1825, 20, pi. ii, tig. 3. 



Sayornis sayus, Baird, B. N. Am., 1858, 185; Cat. N. Am. Birds, 1859, No. 1.36, 

 Cooper, Orn. Cal., I, 1870, 320.— Coues, Key, 1872, 172 ; Check List, 1873, 

 No. 250; B. N.W., 1874, 240.— B. B. & E., Hist. N. Am. B., II, 1874, 347, pi. 

 XLV, fig. 3.— Henshaw, 1875, 349. 



Throughout the country eastward of the Sierra Nevada, this interest- 

 ing bird was found in all suitable places, though it was not abundant any- 

 where, since it was seldom that more than one pair inhabited a restricted 

 locality. Its favorite haunts were the rocky shores of the lakes and 

 rivers, or the walls of the lower canons in the mountains, where it built 

 its bulky but soft and downy nest among the recesses of the rocks, or, 

 as was more often the case, upon a narrow shelf of rock projecting from 

 the ceiling or dome of a cave. In those wild localities it was found to be 

 rather shy in its disposition; but wherever man had fixed his abode upon the 

 dreary waste this species was attracted to his vicinity, thus assuming tlje 

 semi-domesticated habits of S. fuscus and S. nigricans, which it repre- 



