444 SYSTEM A no SYNOPSIS. — PICARI2E. 



overhanging tip ; commissure gently ilocurvetl ; gonys about sti'aiglit. Head a little crested, 

 as in Empidonax, Contopus, etc. Wiugs of moderate lengtli, nmch rounded ; 2d t(i 5tli prima- 

 ries subcipial and longest, Gth sluirter, 1st about equal to 7tli. Tail a little shorter than wings, 

 even or scarcely rounded. Tarsus long, exceeding the middle toe and claw ; lateral toes suli- 

 equal, their claws about reaching base of middle claw ; hind claw shorter than its digit. Of 

 diminutive size, and dull plain colors, as in th(^ small (divaccous tlycat(-hers generally; but fur 

 the bill, the species might bo mistakeu for au Empidonax. 



393. O. imber'be. (Lat. iiiiberhis, beardless ; in, not, and harba, a beard.) Texas ]!eariili:,ss 

 FiA'CATCiiER. Adult (J 9 : Above, dull olive-gray, a little darker (brovrnei) (ui tlie lengtli- 

 ened erectile feathers (if tlu; crown, a little brighter (greener) on the rump and u])iier tail-coverts. 

 Below, pale dull gray, sometimes almost grayi.sh -white anteriorly, clearing on the belly and 

 under tail-coverts to pale yellowish. Wings and tail fuscous, ■with pale gray (ir whitish edgings 

 of the middle and greater cuverts and most of the quills of the Mdngs, a.s in au Empidonax. 

 Bill dark brown above, pale lielow. Worn specimens are ([uito brownish aliove, and wliitish 

 b(dow, with little edging of the wings and tail. Young and fresli fall specimens arc more clearly 

 olivaceous above and yellowisii below, shaded with gray across the brea.st ; tlie young with tlie 

 wing-bars tinged witli buff or tawny — all quite as usual in Empidonax. Very small : length 

 about 4.25 ; wing 2.10; tail 1.80; bill scarcely 0.30 ; tarsus 0.5.5; whole foot scarcely 1.00. 

 A curious little flycatcher of Mexico and Central Am., lately discovered on the Lower J!io 

 Grande of Texas. Nest and eggs unl;nown. 



126. PYBOCE'PHAL/US. ((;Jr. Triip, grn. Trupof, j)«r, p«ro.s, tire ; KecfyaXfj, JcepJiale, head.) FlKK- 

 CIWIWNEIJ Flycatohehn, Sexes very dissimilar ; liead of ^ with a. full globular crest (fig. 288), 

 and all under parts (usually) scarlet- red ; other parts d(!ep brown ; ? brown and whitish. Bill 

 slender, narrow at base, much as in Sayiornis. Wings uKideratc;, pfiinted ; 2d— Itli quills 

 longest, 1st between 5tli and Otli. Tail nearly even, shorter than wings, of broad feather.s. 

 Tarsus scarcely Lmger tluui middle toe and claw. A tropical genus of several sjjeeies, one of 

 which readies our l>order. 



394. P. rubi'neus mexica'nus. (Lat. ruhineittf, ruby-red.) VEKMlLlfiN Flyc^atciier. Adult ^ \ 

 Pure dark brown, including stripe along side ol' bead; wings and tail blackish with slight pale 

 edgings; the full ghdjular crest, and all the under parts scarlet or verndlion ; bill and feet 

 black. 9 ■ L)nll brown, including the little-crested crown; behjw, white, tinged with red, 



reddish or orange in some jjlaces ; the breast and sides with slight 

 dusky streaks. Immature ^ sliows gradati<jn between the characters 

 of both sexes ; at first there is no red whatever, the bird otherwise 

 resembbng the 9, but pale yellowish where she is reddish; u]qier 

 [larts gray ; all the feathers may be skirted with whitish, especially 

 on the wing-covcrt.s and inner .secondaries ; tail quite bhudsish ; under 

 parts more purely white tliaii in tlii^ 9 ; -'"'l rather speclded than 

 streaked with gray. But reddish so(jn replaces tlii' ycdlow of the 

 Pro. 288, — Head of Ver- crissum and axillars. Adult (J <J are subject to much variation; the 



miliou Flycatcher, nat. size. ^,,^i j^, gonietime.s rather orange. Length about 0,(10; wing 3.25; 



tail 2.50 ; bill 0.45 ; tarsus 0.55 ; middle toe and claw 0.50. Valleys of the Kio Grande and 



Colorado, and southward ; common in Arizona on the Gila ; a very showy little bird, of the 



usual flycatcher habits. 



II. — Order PICARI^ffi: Picarian Birds. 



This is a miscellaneous assortment (in scientific language, "a polymorphic group") of 

 birds of highly diversifieil forms, grouped together more because they differ from other Idrds in 

 one way (u- another, than im account of their resemblance to one another. As commonly received, 



