377. 
378. 
TYRANNIDA —TYRANNINA:: TYRANT FLYCATCHERS. 437 
in Contopus). Bill narrower than in the other little Flycatchers, with nearly straight lateral 
outlines, its width at base about 4 the length of culmen. Wing pointed by 2d-5th quills, lst 
shorter than 6th. Tail about as long as wing, emarginate, with broad féathers tending to 
divaricate in the middle. One Eastern, two Western species. Nest affixed to rocks and 
buildings, with mud; eggs normally white, unmarked. 
Analysis of Species. 
Ashy-brown, with cinnamon belly and black tail . dg. RE BOR we Se es sayi 377 
Blackish, with white belly c § 7 Ce ee ee ee ae nigricans 378 
Olivaceous and yellowish . . . . piees cee. ge SR eaten ay . « fusca 379 
S. say'i. (To Thos. Say.) Say’s Pewirr FrycarcuHer. ¢@, adult: Grayish-brown, some- 
times with faint olivaceous tinge, rather darker on head, where the feathers have dusky centres, 
paler on throat and breast, then changing to cinnamon-brown on the rest of the under parts. 
Wings dusky, lined with tawny-whitish, edged with whitish on the coverts and inner quills. 
Tail perfectly black. Bill and feet black. Iris dark brown. Length about 7.00; extent 11.00: 
wing 3.75-4.35 ; tail 3.25-3.50; bill 0.50-0.60, narrow and slender for a flycatcher: tarsus 
0.80; middle toe and claw 0.67. Young: More extensively fulvous or paler cinnamon than the 
adults, this color extending far up the breast, skirting the feathers of the back and rump, form- 
ing conspicuous cross-bars and edgings on the wings, and even tipping the tail. But no bird 
of our country resembles this one. Western U. S. and adjoining British Provinces, E. to 
Kansas, Iowa, Wisconsin, ete., common in open or rocky country, where seen singly or in 
pairs ; the principal flycatcher of wnwooded regions, in weedy, brushy places, displaying the 
usual activity of its tribe, and uttering a melancholy note of one syllable, or a tremulous twitter. 
Nests naturally on rocks, but soon adapts itself to buildings like the Eastern Pewee. Nest of 
mud, straw, moss, feathers; eggs 4-5, 0.80 x 0.62, white. 
S. nig/ricans. (Lat. nigricans, blackening.) Buack PEwir FLYCATCHER. Sooty-brown or 
blackish, deepest on head and breast; belly and other under parts pure white, abruptly defined ; 
lining of wings, outer web of outer tail-feathers, and edges of inner secondaries, whitish; bill aud 
feet black; iris red. The coloration is curiously like that of Junco hiemalis. Length about 
7.00; wing 3.50-3.75 ; tail 3.25-3.50; bill 0.50 or less, 
very weak ; tarsus 0.67 ; middle toe and claw 0.60. South- 
western U.S. and southward, but on the Pacific to Oregon; 
chiefly in unwooded country, and especially along rocky 
streams, and in cafions—I have seen it at the bottom of 
the Grand Cafion of the Colorado, some 6,000 feet below 
the surface of the earth! Nest of mud, etc., on rocks and 
walls; eggs 0.75 X 0.56, white. 
S. fus/ca. (Lat. fusca, brown. Fig. 286.) Prewrr Fiy- 
CATCHER. WATER PEWEE. PEWwiT. PHa@BE. Dull oli- 
vaceous-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 nearly or quite across, 
shaded with grayish-brown ; wings and 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 Fig: 286.— Pewit Flycatcher, reduced. 
average spring condition. As summer passes, the plumage (Gbeppard del. Nichols se.) 
becomes much duller and darker brown, from wearing of the feathers ; then, after the moult, 
fall specimens are much brighter than in spring, the under parts being decidedly yellow, at 
least on the belly. Very young birds have some feathers skirted with rusty, particularly on 
