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GENUS CULICIVORA-SWAINSON. 



GNAT CATCHER 



[Bill of moderate length, slender, depressed at base, narrowing towards the 

 end ; upper mandible notched at tip, general form very slender ; tail long, much 

 rounded.] 



CULICIVORA CCERULEA— LATHAM. 



BLUE-GRAY GNAT CATCHER. 



Blue-gray Flycatcher, Muscicapa ccerulea, Wils. Amer. Orn. 

 Sylvia coerulea, Bo;jap. Syn. 



Blue-gray Sylvan Flycatcher, Muscicapa ccerulea, Nutt. Man. 

 Blue-gray Flycatcher, Muscicapa ccerula, Aud. Orn. Biog. 



Specific Character — Bill rather long, very slender towards the 

 end ; upper parts blue ; beneath grayish-white. Adult with the 

 upper parts light blue, deeper on the head, approaching to gray on 

 the tail coverts ; tail long and rounded, the feathers narrow ; wings 

 brown, tail darker, the larger portion of the outer two feathers white, 

 the third margined externally and tipped with the same — the rest 

 plain, with the middle pair of feathers a shade lighter ; lower parts 

 grayish-white ; a white ring round the eye ; a narrow black band 

 on the forehead passing over the eyes. Length four inches and a half, 

 wing two. Female with the plumage duller, and without the black 

 band on the head. 



This, the smallest of our Flycatchers, is surpassed by none in ac- 

 tivity. It is continually on the watch for passing insects, which it 

 pursues among the high branches. With us it is a scarce species 

 — in the Southern States more abundant. 



Its nest was found in Maryland, on the branch of a " Yokewood" 

 tree, by Mr. Bell, who has informed me that it was constructed sim- 

 ilarly to that of the Humming Bird, but much larger. 



