324 NUliTII AMEIilCAN BlliDS. 



Tyrannus verticalis, Say. 



ABXAH8A8 FLTCATCHEB. 



TiirannusrrrticaUs, Say, L(»ii^''.s Kxixtl. II, 1*23, 60, — Nuttall, Man. II, (2«1 nl.,) l.sjo, 

 aut). — Haii:i>, I5inl« N. Am. ls.')>, 173. -Sn.. Catul. 1*02, 235. — Loi;i., I'r. |{. \. 

 Inst. IV, 113 (\\\\ Col.). — Cooi'KU 4: Sn ki.ky, ItlS. — CVmh-ku, Om. Cai. I, l*7<i, 

 312. Mi(Si-i(iijMt vnticalin, BoNvr. Am. nm. I, 1*2'», IM, pi. xi. - Aid. Oin. I>i<»;^ 

 IV, 1*3*, 122, pi. ci.li.x. - III. liinls Am. I, l!54«i, ll»l», pi. liv. Laplnjctts vcrticulis, 

 Cauan. Mu.m. I It in. 11, l&iu, 77. — Iii:i:KM. X. S, 37. 



Sp. Chak. The four exterior quills attenuated very pently at the end, tlie first most 

 so; third and louith (luills lonj,'est, .seeond an«l lilth sueeessively a little shorter. Tail 

 sli;^litly forked; hill shorter than the head. Crown. side.s of head ahovc the eyes, nape, 

 and sides oi" neek jtale lead-col«»r, or ash-<:ray ; a concealed eiest on the crown, vermilion 

 in the centre, and yellowish bifore and behind. Ilind neck and h.ick ash-;jriay, stron^dy 

 tintretl with liglit olivaceous-green, the gray turnini; to l»iH>wn on the iuini»; ujiper tail- 

 coverts nearly Mack, h^wer dusky ; chin and part of ear-coverts dull white ; throat and 

 upper part of bre;ist similar to the head, Imt liiihter, and Imt slightly contrasted with the 

 chin ; rest of lower parts, with the under wing-coverts and axillais, yellow, (h»epening to 

 gamboge on the lu-lly, tinged with olivaceous on the breast. Wing luown, the covertij 

 with indistinct ashy margins; secondaries and lertials edged with whitish; inner webs of 

 primaries whitish towards the base. Tail nearly l)lack above and glo.ssy, duller brownish 

 beneath : without olivaceous edgings. Hvterior feather, with the outer web and the 

 .'ihaft, yellowish-white ; inner edge of latter brown. Tips of remaining feathers paler. 

 Bill and feet dark brown. Female rather smaller and colors less bright. Length of male, 

 8.1i.'>; wing about 4. r>0. 



Hah. Western North America, from the high Central Plains to the Pacific; Colima, 

 Mexico. Accidental in Eastern States (Xew Jersey, Tuknul'Ll; Plymton, Maine, Oct. 

 18Go, liKVAXT, Pr. Bost. Soc, X, 18G;j, 96> 



The young bird is, in general, quite similar, with the exception of the 

 usual a]»[)earance of immaturity, the colored ])atch on the crown wanting. 

 In one specimen the lirst primary only is attenuated, in others none ex- 

 hibit this character. 



A specimen of this bird, shot at Moorestown, N. J., is in the museum 

 of the I'hiludelphia Academy, but this locality can only be considered as 

 very excei)tional. 



Habits. The Arkansas Flycatcher was first discovered by the party in 

 Long's Expedition in 1823, and described by Mr. Say. It is a bird of western 

 North America, found from the great plains to the Pacitic, and only acci- 

 dentally occurring east. A single specimen is said to have l>een shot in 

 Moorestown, X. J., near Philadelphia. It has been met with in Texas as far 

 east as the river Mimbres, and in Nebraska nearly to the Missouri Eiver. 

 The si:)ecimen from vdiich the first description w^as made was obtained in the 

 beginning of July, near the Platte Kiver. 



Mr. Xuttall, in his Western tour, first met with this species early in Jidy, 

 among the scanty wood on the banks of the nortlnvest branch of the Platte 

 Eiver. He characterizes it as a bold and querulous bird. He found it 



