On the Genus Elaenia. 373 



Natural affinities of Elaenia. 



The genus Elaenia is evidently most nearly related on one 

 sideto the genus Suiriri D'Orb. {Empidagra Cab. et Heine), 

 one species of the latter, viz., S. ajjinis (Burm.) having- been 

 hither to placed in the genus Elaenia, and on the other side 

 -to the small birds composing the genera Phaeomyias Beri., 

 Phyllomyias Cab. et Heine, and others. The position of the 

 Elaeninae in the system is a rather difficult one. On one side 

 they show affinities to Myiozetetes, Myiarchus and Empidonax, 

 but cannot be placed in this vicinity, because Myiozetetes 

 comes nearest to Tyr annus, and because Empidonax is most 

 nearly related to Horizopus (Contopus), the latter with its flat 

 bill leading to Myiobius and the Platyrhynchinae. On the 

 other side they are certainly nearly related to the 8 erpophaginae. 

 I have therefore placed them nearest to the latter and at the 

 end of the Tyrannidae. 



Geographical Distribution. 



Species of Elaenia are found throughout the continent 

 of South America, one species (E. albiceps) occurring as 

 far south as Southern Patagonia. Some species are also 

 inhabitants of Central America and Mexico, extending east- 

 wards as far north as the city of Mexico {E. f. subpagana), and 

 on the Pacific side as far north as Southern Sinaloa (E. v. 

 jaliscensis) , and the Très Marias Islands (E. v. minima). 



Several species of Elaenia are denizens of the West 

 Indian Islands, with the exception of Cuba, Porto Rico and the 

 Bahamas. One species inhabits the island of Fernando 

 Noronha off the coast of Northern Brazil. No species of 

 Elaenia is recorded from the Juan Fernandez group off the 

 coast of Chile. They are to be found in the lowlands as well 

 as in the mountains, some species ascending to over 10,000 

 feet. Such are E. frantzii and E. f. pudica (ascending in the 

 Sta. Marta region to 12,000 feet; W. W. Brown), also 

 E. pallatangae and E. a. modesta (3500 metres — O. Garlepp). 

 In Argentina, Chile and Western Peru they have migratory 

 habits : E. a. modesta leaves Lima in June and arrives in 

 December (Nation). E. albiceps and E. parvirostris migrate 



