SMALL-HEADED FLYCATCHER. 293 



All my efforts to discover its nest in the lower parts of Kentucky, 

 where I am confident that it breeds, have proved fruitless ; and I have 

 not heard that any person has been more successful. The figure in 

 the plate has been copied from the drawing in the possession of my 

 excellent friend, and patroness, Miss Euphemia Gifford. 



Small-headed Flycatcher, Muscicapa minuta, Wils. Amer. Oruith. vol. vi. 



p. 62, pi. 50, fig. 6. 

 Sylvia minuta, Ck. Bonaparte, Synopsis of Birds of United States, p. 86. 

 Small-headed Sylvan Flycatcher, NuUall, Manual, vol. i. p. 296. 



Adult Male. Plate CCCCXXXIV. Fig. 2. 



Bill rather short, straight, depressed, triangular when viewed from 

 above ; upper mandible with its dorsal line sloping, convex toward the 

 end, the ridge distinct, the sides sloping and slightly convex, the edges 

 thin and overlapping, the tip a little deflected ; nostrils rather small, 

 roundish, partially concealed by the feathers ; lower mandible with its 

 dorsal line ascending and straight, the back broad at the base, the sides 

 sloping upwards and convex, the tip acute. 



Head of moderate size, ovate ; neck rather short ; body slender. 

 Feet of ordinary length ; tarsus slender, compressed, anteriorly scutel- 

 late, thin-edged behind ; toes rather short, slender, the first stouter, 

 the lateral nearly equal; claws much compressed, laterally grooved, 

 moderately arched, acute. 



Plumage soft, blended ; bristly feathers at the base of the bill long. 

 Wings short, when closed an inch shorter than the tail ; the second 

 quill longest. Tail of moderate length, even. 



Bill dusky above, pale yellowish-brown beneath. Iris dark bro\vn. 

 Feet dusky brown, the lower surface of the toes yellow. The general 

 colour of the upper parts is light greenish-brown ; the wings dark olive- 

 brown ; the first row of small coverts and the secondary coverts tipped 

 with dull white ; the tail olive-brown, the outer feathers with a termi- 

 nal white spot on the inner web. A ring of white surrounds the eye ; 

 the sides of the head and neck are light greenish-yellow ; the rest of 

 the lower parts pale yellow, gradually fading into white behind. 



Length to end of tail 5 inches ; extent of wings 8| ; bill along the 

 ridge ^^ ; wing from flexure 2^ ; tail 2 ; tarsus i^j ; hind toe f^, its 

 claw^ j'j ; middle toe -^, its claw {i 





