13 



^ 



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1 



172 



TYEANNIUiE, FLYCATCHEES. GEN. 107. 



the species may be properly put together, as they agree in presenting a certain 

 aspect not shown by the other North American groups. Fig. 1136. 

 '' Say's Flycatcher. Grayish-brown, paler below and changing to cinna- 

 mon on the belly and crissum ; wings dusky Avith paler edgings on the inner 

 quills and coverts ; tail perfectly black ; bill and feet black. Younger birds 

 are much more extensively fulvous or paler cinnamon than the old, this color 

 extending far up the breast, skirting the feathers of the back and rump, 

 forming conspicuous crossbars and edging on the wings, and sometimes 

 tipping the tail. 7 or 8 inches long ; wing 4 ; tail 3J, emarginate. West- 

 ern America, in open country, common. Nutt., i, 277 ; Aud., i, 217, 



pi. 59; Bd., 185; Coop., 320 sayus. 



Black Flycalclier. Sooty-brown, deepest on head and breast, belly and 

 crissum abruptly pure white; lining of wings and edging of onter tail 

 feather and inner quills, "whitish; bill and feet black; "iris red;" alxnit 7; 

 wing3| ; tail 3 J. Southwestern United States and southward, in unwooded 

 country, canons, and along rocky streams. Nutt., i, 2d ed. 311 ; Aud., i, 



217; pi. 59; Bd., 185; Coop., 320 nigricans. 



Petvee. Peivit. Phoebe. Dull olivaceous-brown, the head much darker 

 fuscous-brown, almost blackish, usually in marked contrast with the back ; 

 below soiled whitish, or palest possible yellow, particularly on the belly ; the 



sides, and the breast nearl}' or quite 

 across, shaded with grayish-l)rown ; 

 wings aud tail dusky, the outer tail 

 feather, inner secondaries, and usually 

 the wing coverts, edged with whitish ; 

 a whitish ring round the eye ; bill 

 and feet black. Varies greatly in 

 shade ; the foregoing is the average 

 spring condition. As summer passes, 

 the plumage becomes much duller and 

 darker brown, from wearing of the 

 feathers, and then, after the moult, 

 fall specimens are much brighter than 

 in spring, the under parts being fre- 

 quently decidedly yellow, at least on 

 the belly. Very young birds have 

 some feathers skirted with rusty, par- 

 ticularly on the edges of the wing and 

 tail feathers. The species requires 

 careful discrimination, in the hands of a novice, from any of the little oliva- 

 ceous species of the next two genera. It is larger ; 6i|-7 ; wing 3-3 J ; tail 

 about the same, slightly emarginate ; bill J or slightly more, little depressed, 

 not so broad for its length as is usual in Coniopus and Empidonax, its lateral 

 outlines straight; tarsus equalling or slightly exceeding the middle toe and 

 claw, these together about IJ long ; point of the wing formed by the 2d to 



FIG. 113. 



Generic details in the smaller 

 Flyciitcliers. 



