350 



NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Genus CONTOPUS, Cabanw. 

 Contopns, Cabanis, Journ. fUr Ornith. Ill, Nov. 1855, 479. (Type, Museicapa virens, L.) 



Gen. Cii.Mt. Tarsus very short, lint stout; less thau the middlo toe and scarcely longer 

 than the hinder; considerably less than the euhnen. Bill quite broad at the base; wider 



_ ^ ''"'" ''''*'f the culnien. Tail 



ilcrately forked. Wiuprs 

 very lon;^ and inneh pointed, 

 reaching beyond the middle 

 of the tail ; the first jirimary 

 about equal to the foui'tli. All 

 the primaries slender and rath- 

 er acute, but not attenuated. 

 Head moderately crested. Col- 

 or olive above, pale yellowish 

 beneath, with a darker patch 

 on the sides of the breast. 

 Under tail-covert.s strt^aked in 

 most species. A tuft ol' cottony- 

 white feathers on oaoli side of 

 tlu^ rump (concealed in most 

 species). 



Contopus borealis. 



This genus is pre-eminently characterized among North American Fly- 

 catcliors by tlie very sliort tarsi, and the long and much pointed wings. 



In most other genera, as S'ni/oria, Mi/iair/uif<, and Empidonax, a trace of a 

 cottony tuft may be discovered by careful search on the Hanks ; but in the 

 ])resent genus, there is, in addition, tlie tufts on the rump, not found in the 

 others. The species are as follows : — 



Species and Varieties. 



A. Cottony pateh of white feathers on sides of the rump greatly developed, and 

 conspicuous, llictal bristles very short (about one fourth tlie length of the bill). 

 Lower parts distinctly and abruptly white medially (somewhat interrupted on 

 the breast). 



1. C. borealis. First f|uill longer than the fonith, generally exceed- 

 ing the third. Wing, 4.00 to 4.40; tail, 2.!)0 to 3.00; cuhncn, .90; 

 tarsus, .00. Above dark olive-plumbeous, the tertials edged with 

 whitish ; low<'r parts a lighter .shade of the same, laterally and acro.ss 

 the breast (narrowly), the throat and miildle line of the abdomen 

 being abru])tly white. Young not dilferent. Itcih. Northern parts of 

 North America, to the north border of United States ; on the mountain- 

 ranges, farther south, on the interior ranges, penetrating through Mexico 

 to Costa llica. 



B. Cottony jjatch on side of rump rudimentary and concealed. Rictal bristle.'* 

 strong (on<' half, or more, the length of the bill). Lower parts not distinctly 

 white niedially. 



a: First prima.y shorter than fifth, but exceeding the sixth. Tail shorter 

 - than wings. 



