198 Deane, Letters of J. J. Audubon and ' S. F. Baird. [\\\% 



Baird to Audubon. 



Carlisle, Cumberland Co., Pa., June 4, 1840. 

 Dear Sir 



I herewith send you the description of a species of Tyrannida, 

 an account of which I have been able to find, neither in your 

 Ornithological Biography and Synopsis, nor in Nuttall's Orni- 

 thology. I have obtained three specimens, all in low swampy 

 thickets. Two of them I stuffed, the third (obtained last Satur- 

 day) [May 30, 1840] I have in spirits and would gladly send it 

 to you, had I the opportunity. Their habits were very similar 

 to those of the Little Tyrant Flycatcher. (Muscicapa Pusilla.) 

 Male. 



Bill large, depressed, decidedly convex in its lateral outlines, 

 and very broad. Third quill longest. Bill dusky above, yellow 

 beneath. Feet dark brown. Upper parts clear greenish olive. 

 Cheeks and sides of neck of a slightly lighter tint. General color 

 of lower parts gamboge yellow, throat slightly darker, across the 

 breast tinged with yellowish green. Quills and tail brown. First 

 row of smaller wing coverts tipped with yellowish white, as also 

 are the secondary coverts. Secondary quills narrowly tipped and 

 margined with the same. Loral space and eyelids yellowish. 

 Outer edge of tail feathers, like the Back. Length to end of 

 tail 5 1/2, to end of wings 3, 12 , of claws 4 4 -^, wing from flexure 

 2 6/12; tail 2; distance between end of closed wing and end of 

 tail 1 3/12: Bill along ridge 5/12, lower mandible 7/12: Tarsus 

 '{i 1 : Hind toe and claw 4 f.{'\ middle toe and claw 5 -^: First 

 quill 4/12 less than third; 3 -^ less than second. Middle tail 

 feathers ! -y^ less than the outer. It differs very decidedly from 

 the Little Tyrant Flycatcher. The color of the upper parts is of 

 a much brighter and purer color. The white and ash of the throat, 

 neck, and sides, is replaced by the yellow and greenish yellow. 

 The color of the rest of the lower parts is much brighter, being 

 a decided gamboge. The bill is much larger, and broader, being 

 very decidedly convex in its lateral outlines. The tail also is of 

 a darker brown. 



I send you the measurement of another Flycatcher which I shot 

 last Saturday. It was flying about from one low bush to another, 

 in a field bv the creek. I heard no note. Length to end of tail 



