110 NEW- YORK FAUNA — BIRDS. 



early part of May. They do not appear to advance farther north than the 46th parallel. 

 They extend over the western States. It is not a numerous species. It leaves this State 

 towards the end of September. It lays 4-5 pure white eggs, with a few reddish dots at the 

 larger end. I am not informed whether it breeds in this State, but presume this to be the 

 case at least in the western counties. It is exceedingly active in its movements, and is 

 perpetually on the wing in search of the smaller winged insects, and particularly of mosqui- 

 toes. It chiefly affects humid places and the borders of small streams. 



{EXTRA-LIMITAL.) 



C. townsendi. (Philogonys id. Sw. Aud. B. of Am. Vol. 1, p. 243, pi. 69). Dull brownish grey. 

 Basal part of primaries pale yellow: middle tail-feathers greyish ; the others blackish; the outer 

 white. Tail long, straight, emarginate and rounded. Length, 8-5. Columbia river. 



FAMILY MUSCICAPIDM. 



Bill moderate, triangular, robust, with elongated bristles at the base. Upper mandible 

 inflected at the tip, notched; lower with*the tip somewhat ascending. Nostrils basal, 

 rounded, patulous, partly covered by bristles. Feet generally short. Tarsus short, slen- 

 der, with broad scutellce. Hind toe not proportionally large. Wings long : the first 

 quill usually long ; the outer three longest. Tail various. Tongue depressed, sagittate, 

 bristly at the tip. Solitary, taciturn, untamable. 



GENUS MUSCICAPA. Linnaeus. 



Bill broad at base, gradually compressed towards the end. Upper mandible with a very 

 small notch near the tip. Tarsus with six scutellae, three of which almost meet behind. 

 Toes free, all scutellate above. Second and third quills longest ; outer quills sometimes 

 attenuated. Tail long, even or emarginated. 



