TYRANXL ^ — "-'^E FL\ .ATCHERS. 347 



Sayornis sasrus, Baird. 



SAY'S FEWEE. 



Miiscicapa sai/a, BoNAP. Am. Orn. I, IS'J'), 20, \A. xi, fig. 3. — Am. Orn. Riofj. IV, 1838, 

 428, ]>1. ccclix. — In. Hiuls Am. I, 1S40, 217, pi. li.\'. Tumaniis sinjn, XittalL, 

 Man. I, (2(1 ciI.,) 1840, 311. Mi/iuhius Sitya, Oii.VY, GemTa, I, 1844 4l», 241). Ochtlumi 

 Siiy'i, Cahanis, Wit'^nianii Anhiv, 1847, I, 255 (not typt'). T/f/'annuld siaja, Hos'Ai". 

 CojisjK'ctus, 1850. — Max. Cab. J. VI, 1858, 183. Aulnnax miijus, Cauams, Jouni. 

 Orn. 1850, 2. Tyrannula pul/iiia, Swainson', Syn. Birds Mex. No. 15, iii Taylor'.s 

 Phil. Mag. I, 1>27, 3(57. Saijurnis panuiit, Bonap. — Sci.. P. Z. S. 1857, 2(»4. Smj- 

 ornis s(fifi(s, Viwnu, Binls N. Am. 1858, 185. — In. M. B. II, Binis, l». — Cttoi-KU, 

 Oni. Cal. 1, 1870, 320. Thcrunujuts sai/a, Caban. M. H. II, Sept. 1859, G8 (type). 



Sp. Char. x\.l»ove and on the sides of the head, neck, and hrenst, crrayish-hrowr, 

 darker on tlie crown ; rcirion al>out the eye d»K«jky. The chin, throat, and upper part of 

 ilie hrea.<t similar to the baek> but ratli<i' lighter and tinged with the color of the rest of 

 the lower part*;, which are pale cinnamon. Under wing-coverts pale rusiy-white. The 

 wings of a rather deeper tint than the back, with the exterior vanes and tips of the ([uills 

 darker. Edges of the greater and secondary coverts, of the outer vane of the outer 

 primary, and of the secondaries and tertials, dull white. The npper tail-coverts an<l tail 

 nearly black. Edge of outer vane of exterior tail-feather white. Bill dark brown, 

 rather paler beneath. The feet brown. Second, ihird, and fourth quills nearly equal; 

 fifth ne.rly equal to sixth , sixth much shorter than the fifth Tail broad, emarginate. 

 Tarsi with a posterior row of scales. Length, 7 inches; wing, 4.;}0; tail, 3.35. 



Hab. Missouri and central High Plains, westward to the Pr.cilic and south to Mexico. 

 Xalapa (Sci.. 18.">9, 30(1) ; Orizaba (Scl. List. 190) ; Vera Cruz, winter ? (Su.m. M. Bost. 

 Soc. I, 5.'>7) ; S. E. Texas (Duessek, Ibis, 18G5, 473, breeds) ; W. Arizona (Coues, P. A. 

 N. S. 18G6, GO). 



The youDg of the year have the upper parts slightly tinged with ferrugi 

 nous ; two broad (feirughious) bands on the wings formed by the tips of the 

 first and second coverts. The i|uills and tail rather darker than in an adidt 

 specimen. 



Autumnal specimens are simply more deeply colored than spring examples, 

 the plumage softer and more blended. 



Habits. Say's Flycatcher has an extended distribution throughout west- 

 ern North America, from Mexico, on the south, to the plains of the Saskatch- 

 ewan on the north, and from the llio Grande and the Missouri to tlie Pacific 

 Ocean. 



It was first discovered by Mr. Titian Peale on the Arkansas River, near 

 the Itocky Mountains, and described by Bonaparte. Mr. Peale noticed a 

 dillcrence in its voice from that of the common S.fuscus, and found it nesting 

 in a tree, building a nest of nnid and moss, lined wi^^h dried gi"as.ses. Its 

 young were ready to fly in July. Ilichardson obtained individuals of this 

 species at the Carlton House, May Kl It is not given by Cooper and 

 Sucklev in their Zoiilonv of Washinulon Territorv, but Dr. Newberry found 

 it not uncounnon tln'ouuhout both ()rei:on and California. 



Mr. Sumichrast ascertained the presence of this bird within tlie Department 



