TYRANNID.E — THE FLYCATCHP^RS. 347 



Sayornis sayus, Baird. 



SAY'S FEWEE. 



Musdcapa saya, Bonap. Am. Om. I, 1825, 20, pi. xi, fig. 3. — Arn. Oni. Tliof;. IV, 1838, 

 428, pi. cfolix. — 111. Hiiils Am. I, 1840, 217, pi. lix. Tiintntiiis ndijn, NrriAi.i,, 

 Miiii. I, (-2(1 cil.,) 1840, an. Mjiiuhius mijti, (ili.w, (ionciii, I, 1844 -4!>, 240. OMlwca 

 siiyt, ('.\1IANI'<, Wii'j;iiiiiiiii Airliiv, 1847, l, 2.'),'> (not typr). Tiiraaiiula .inijit, Hos.vi'. 

 Conspectus, 18.50. — M.\x. Cab. J. VI, 1858, 183. Aulauax satjus, Caiunis, .loiiiri. 

 Orn. 1850, 2. Tijranniila pallida, Swainson, Syn. Birds JU'X. No. 15, in Tiiyloi'.s 

 Phil. Mag. I, 1S-J7, 3(i7. Saijunih iMllida, Bo.sai-. — Sci.. V. /,. S. 1857, 204. Saij- 

 oriiis sdi/iis, liAiiii), Birds N. Am. 1858, 185. — In. M. B. II, Birds, it. — CooPKli, 

 Orn. Cal. I, 1870, 320. Thcromijuis suyu, Caua.n. M. II. 11, Sept. 1859, 08 (type). 



Sp. ("iiau. Aliovo and on tlio sido.^ of the lio.id, nock, and breast, prayish-hrown, 

 darker on tlif crown ; rejrion aljout the cyo dusky. The chin, throat, and njipcr part of 

 the l)roa.st .similar to the back, but rather lighter and tinged with the color of the rest of 

 the lower parts, which arc; pale ciniuvmon. Under wing-coverts pale rusty-white. The 

 wings of ft rallier deeper tint than the back, with the exterior vanes and tip.s of the (piills 

 darker. Edges of the greater and secondary covert.s, of the outer vane of the outer 

 primary, and of the F:(!condarios and tertials, dull .white. The upper tail-covertvS and tail 

 nearly bhu'k. Edge of outer vane of exterior tail-feather white. Bill dark lirown, 

 rather pali r beneath. The feet brown. Second, third, and fourth cpiills nearly etpial; 

 fifth no.irly equal to sixth ; sixth much .shorter than the fifth. Tail broail, eniarginate. 

 Tarsi with a posterior row of scales. Length, 7 inches ; wing, 4.30; tail, 3.35. 



IlAn. Missouri and central High Plains, westward to the Pacific and south to Mexico. 

 Xalapa (S<-i,. 18.")9, 3G(i) ; Orizaba (Sci.. List, 19!)); Vera Cruz, winter? (.Srw. Jf. Host. 

 Soc. I, bi)7) ; S. E. Texas (Uresseh, Ibis, 18G5, 473, breeds) ; W. Arizona (Couks, P. A. 

 N. S. 18CC, GO), 



The young of tlie year have the upper parts slightly tinged with ferrugi- 

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

 first and second coverts. Tlie ipiills and tiiil rather darker tliau in tin adult 

 specimen. 



Autumnal specimens are simply more deeply colored than spring examples, 

 the plumage softer and more blended. 



IIauits. Say's Flycatclier has an e.xtended distribution througliotit west- 

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

 ewan on the nortli, and from the liio (.Jrande and the Missouri to tlie Pacitic 

 Ocean. 



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

 the llocky Mountains, and described by r)onaparte. Mr. l*eale noticed a 

 dilVerence in its voice from that of tlie common H. /iiuciik, and found it nesting 

 in a tree, building a nest of mud and moss, lined with dried grasses. Its 

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

 species at the Carlton House, May l.'i. It is not given by Cooper and 

 Suckloy in their Zottlogy of Wa.sliiiiglon Territory, but Dr. Newberry found 

 it not uncommon throughout both Oregon smd California. 



Mr. Sumiclmist ascertained the presence of this bird within the Department 



