194 



U. S. p. K. E. EXP. AND SURVEYS ZOOLOGY — GENERAL REPORT. 



pointed, and acuminate. Differs from E. minimus in larger size and proportions of the quills. 

 The middle of the back is the same color in both, but instead of becoming lighter and tinged 

 with ash on the rump and upper tail coverts, these parts very rarely differ in color from the 

 back. The markings on the wings, instead of being dirty white, are decidedly olivaceous 

 yellow. The yellow of the lower parts is deeper. The tail feathers are rather broad, 

 acuminate, and pointed ; in minima they are narrow and more rounded. Tho bill is larger 

 and fuller. The legs are decidedly shorter in proportion. 



This species is somewhat like E. acadicus in the proportions of the quills, but the wing is con- 

 siderably shorter. The precise differences will be found detailed in the article on acadicus. 



The proportions of the quills are generally as detailed under the specific character ; the first 

 quill .30 of an inch less than the longest, and intermediate between the fourth and fifth ; the 

 primaries about .70 of an inch longer than the first secondary. In one specimen the second, 

 third, and fourth are nearly equal ; the other proportions the same. 



EMPIDONAX PUSILLUS, Cabanis. 



? Plalyrhynchus pusillm, Swainson, Phil. Mag. I, May, 1827, 366. 



Tyrann'ula pusilla, Sw. F. B. Am. II, 1831, 144; pi.— Rich. App. Back's Voyage, 1834- '36, 144.— Gambel, Pr. A. 



N. Sc. Ill, 1847, 156. * 



Musdcapa pusilla, ArD. Cm. Biog. V, 1839, 288 ; pi. 434.— Ib. Birds Amer. I, 1840, 236 ; pi. 66. 

 Tyrannus pnsilla, Nuttall, Man. I, 2d ed. 1840. 



Sp. Ch. — Second, third, and fourth quills longest; first shorter than the. sixth. Bill rather broad ; yellow beneath. Tail 

 even. Tarsi rather long. Above dirty olive brown, paler and more tinged with brown towards the tail. Throat and breast 

 white, tinged with grayish olive on the sides, shading across the breast ; belly and under tail coverts very pale sulphur yellow. 

 "Wings with two dirty narrow brownish white bands slightly tinged with olive ; the secondaries and tertials narrowly and incon- 

 spicuously margined with the same. First primary faintly edged with whitish ; the outer web of first tail feather paler than the 

 inner, but not white. Under wing coverts reddish ochraceous yellow. A whitish ring round the eye. Length, 5.50 inches ; 

 wing, 2.80 ; tail, 2.75. 



Hnb. — High central plains to the Pacific. Fur countries. Southward into Mexico. ( 



In examining carefully a large collection of skins of the small American flycatchers, I have 

 found it necessary to separate a western series intermediate between E. traillii and minimus, 

 typical specimens of the two latter species being without any representatives from the region 

 beyond the Missouri plains. Although the differences are quite appreciable in the comparison, 

 I yet find it exceedingly difficult to characterize a species so as to carry the same impression of 

 diversity to others as I have experienced myself. The bird is about the size of E. traillii, or a 

 little less, but has more the colors of minimus. It agrees with the latter in becoming lighter 



