SYLVlIDyE — THE SYLVIAS. gj 



Folioptila melanura, Lawi;. 



BLACK-CAPPED OKATCATCHER. 



I'li/icu'oraafricnjiiUfi, LawkkSi P, ^nii. N. Y. Ly('. V, Sept. IS.'d, 12-1 ('int of Swainsun). 

 Ciilicivtn-a vmianid, Cassin, Illnst. I, ISo-t, KU, pi. xxvii (not of HuN.). J'oiiafitiln, 

 melanura, Lawkf.nce, Ann. N. Y. Lye. VI, Dec. ISfifi, 168. — Baii:i>, Birds N. Am. 

 18')8, 382; licview, 68. -^ ]Ikeu.m\nn, 1". i'.. U. K. vol. A (William.son), 1859, 39.— 

 CoopKii, Biid.s I'al. I, 37. 



Sp. Char. Above pliimboous-bliin. Whole crown, to bill and cj'o,<!, with tail, Instroiw 

 blue-black. Beneath pale Idnish-j^nvy, almost white on chin and anal region; the (lank.*! 

 and cri.<suni tinged with brown. Edge of eyelid.-!, and margin and tip of outer web of 

 lirst and second lateral tail-feather.-:, white. Female and young without the black of tho 

 crown. Length, 4.1.'); wing, 1.85; tail, 2.10. 



ILvii. San Diego to Fort Yuma and Cape St. Lucas. Arizona, Col'ks. 



Specimens of tliis species from Cape St. Lucas differ from tliose of San 

 Diego described in the V. H. R. Keport (7,llll) in having the wliole of tlie 

 outer web of the outer tail-feather white, and iu a rather hirger wliite tip. 

 The coloi's beneath are a little less asliy, though not of a pure white. The 

 ash of the back is rather lighttn- and purer. The lores are rather lighter. 

 The first primary is a litth; hirger and broader. 



It is possible that tlie restriction of tlie wliite of tlie outer web of tlie 

 exterior tail-feather to the outer half only is an unusual circumstance, as 

 both Mr. Cassin and Mr. Lawrence, in tiieir descriptions, speak of the entire 

 outer web being white, — the second featiier being of tlie former character. 

 Under these circumstances there will be little specific diH'erence between 

 the tails of P. melanura and phnnhca. The female bird:* will then be 

 separated by the liglit superciliary line and much shorter tarsi of P. 

 plumhea, — tlie latter measuring .08 instead of nearly .70 of an inch. 



Habits. Tliis species was first noticed as belonging to the North 

 American fauna by Cajitain ]\fcCown, who obtained it near Ringgold Bar- 

 racks in 1850. It has since been noticed at Fort Yuma and at San I)ie<'o 

 and obtained in greater abundance at Cape St. Lucas. It is also found in 

 Mexico. Dr. Cooper says that it is common all winter both at San Diego 

 and at Fort Mohave. It has been tmced as far nortli as latitude 80° in the 

 Sierm Nevada. Its song he describes as a harsh ditty of five parts, some- 

 thing like a wren's song, with notes like those of a swallow, and also closely 

 resembling the song of V^ireo belli. Their scolding note is a faint mew, like 

 that ol" a cat. 



The liabits of this species appear to be not unlike those of the peculiar 

 family to wliicii it belongs. All its members are among our smallest birds, 

 are almost exclusively inliabitants of wootls, and resembh- the Ri<juli in 

 tlieir restless activity in pursuit of the smallest insects on wliich they feed. 

 This binl is described as particularly active, ipiick in its movements, search- 

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