TYKANNID^ — THE TYRANT FLYCATCHERS. 347 



One species {S. nigricans) is confined to the Pacific coast and the 

 southern border, and thence south into Mexico. Another (S. saya) 

 has a very extensive distribution over tlie western portions of the con- 

 tinent, and has even been once taken in Ilhnois. Our hst therefore 

 includes two of the three species, which may be distinguished as 

 follows : 



A. Bt'lly white or sulrhur-yellowish. 



1. S. phoBbe. Above grayish olive, the head much darker; beneath dull white or 

 sulphur-yellowish, the sides of the breast grayish. 



B. Belly tawny ochraoeous 



2. S. saya. Above brownish gray, the tail black; throat and breast grayish, rest of 

 lower parts tawny ochraceous. 



Sayornis phcsbe (Lath.) 



FH(£EK 



Popular synonTms. Pewee; Barn Pewee or Phoebe; Bridge Pewee or Phoebe; Pewit 



Flycatcher. 

 Muscicapa fusca Gmel. S. N. i, 1788. 93 (nee Bodd. 1783).— Aud. Orn. Biog. ii, 1834.123; 

 V, 1S39, 424, pi. 120; Synop. 1839. 43; B. Am. i. 1840, 223, pi. 63. 

 Tyrannus fuscus Nutt. Man. ed. 2, i, 1840. 312. 



,Sai/ornts/i(.5eu.sBAiKD, B. N. Am. 1858, 184; Cat. N. Am. B. 1859. No. 135.— CouES. 

 Key, 1872, 172; Check List, 1874, No. 252; 2d ed. 1882, No. 379; B. N. W. 1874, 241.— B. 

 B. & K. Hist. N. Am. B. ii, 1874, 343, pi, 45, flg. 2.— RiDGW. Nom. 1881, No. 315. 

 Muscicapa atra Gmbl. S. N. i, 1788, 946 [nee Mull. 1776).— Nutt. Man. i, 1832, 278. 

 Muscicapa phcebe Lath. Ind. Orn. ii, 1790, 489. 

 Sayornis phcebe Stejn. Auk. ii. Jan. 1885, 51. 

 Muscicapa nunicola Wils. Am. Orn. ii, 1810, 78, pi. 13, flg. 4. 

 Hab. Eastern United States and British Provinces, west to the edge of the Great 

 Plains; winters in more southern United States (north to about 38"), and eastern Mexico 

 south to Vera Cruz; Cuba. 



"Sp. Chab. Sides of breast and upper parts dull olive-brown, fading slightly towards 

 the tail. Top and sides of head dark brown. A few dull white feathers on the eyelids. 

 Lower parts dull yellowish white, mixed with brown on the chin, and in some individ- 

 uals across the breast. Quills brown, the outer primaries, secondaries, and tertials 

 edged with dull white. In some individuals the greater coverts faintly edged with dull 

 white. Tail brown; outer edge of lateral feathers dull white; outer edges of the rest 

 like the back. Tibise brown. Bill and feet black. Bill slender, edges nearly straight. 

 Tail rather broad and slightly forked. Third quiU longest; second and fourth nearly 

 equal; the first shorter than sixth Length, 7 inches; wing, 3.42; ta.il, 3.30. 



"In autumn, and occasionally in early spring, the colors are much 

 clearer and brighter. Whole lower parts sometimes bright sulphur- 

 yellow ; above, greenish olive ; top and sides of the head tinged with 

 sooty. In the young of the year the colors are much duller ; all the 

 wing-coverts broadly tipped with light ferruginous, as also the ex- 

 treme ends of the wing and tail-feathers. The brown is prevalent 



