VohXin Brkwstk.r, Notes on Crrfai/i Flycatchers. l6l 



also says " before we had investigated the natural affinities of 

 the Flycatchers, we described this bird as possibly belonging 

 to the genus Platyrhytuhus. ... A fine specimen in our col- 

 lection from the shores of Mexico agrees with that brought 

 home by the Expedition." The Mexican specimen here referred 

 to must have been the type of Platyrhynchus pusilliis, and the 

 specimen "brought home by the Expedition" the bird killed 

 at Carlton House in 1827. If Swainson's statement that the 

 two were practically identical can be trusted it becomes more 

 than ever doubtful if the xxdow^ pusilla has been correctly applied, 

 for, as Baird has hinted (Birds N. A., 1858. p. 195), and 

 Coues definitely suggested (Birds N. W., 1874, p. 252 — under 

 synonomy of E. pusillus), there are some reasons for believing 

 that the description and figure given in the Fauna Boreali- 

 Americana may have related to E. minimus. At all events they 

 cannot be referred with any degree of confidence to either 

 E. traillii or the so-called E. pusUlus. It is said, however, tiiat 

 some of Swainson's types are still preserved at Cambridge, 

 England. If the type of his PlatyrhyncJius piisiUns is among 

 them it should be re-examined with especial reference to the 

 question here involved. But until this has been done by some 

 one who is familiar with the nice distinctions which must be 

 relied on to determine our North American E^npidonaces it 

 seems to me that we are justified in ignoring the wxme pusi/his 

 and adopting — or rather retaining — that of traillii for the 

 Flycatcher which we have just been considering. 



Empidonax traillii alnorum, new subspecies. Alder Fly- 

 catcher.' 



Suhspec. c//rtr.— Differing from E. traillii (/. e., E. '' pusillus'' of Baird 

 and subsequent authors) in having the coloring of the upper parts richer 

 and more olivaceous, the wing bands yellower and hence more conspicu- 

 ous, the bill decidedly smaller and the legs rather shorter. Type No. 1367, 

 collection W. 13., $ ad., Upton, Maine, June 3, 1872. 



There is of course nothing new about this separation or the 

 characters on which it is based. Indeed, all of the latter — as 



