laniad^;. 145 



much shorter, and somewhat rounded, the first quill shorter than the sixth, and 

 the fourth manifestly longer than the second. In the former, the second and 

 third quills are longest ; in the latter, the third and fourth. Before we had 

 investigated the natural affinities of the Fly-catchers, we described this bird as 

 possibly belonging to the genus Platyrhynchas. This, however, is not correct ; 

 nor has it any real affinity to that group. A fine specimen, in our collection, 

 from the shores of Mexico, agrees with that brought home by the Expedition. 

 On comparing these with twelve examples of T. querula, of all ages, killed 

 this year in the vicinity of Philadelphia, we find the superior length of the 

 wings, in querula, an invariable character ; they measure, when closed, exactly 

 three inches, the primaries being almost an inch longer than the secondaries. In 

 pusilla the length is only 2 T % inch., and the primaries but -j% longer than the 

 secondaries. The colour of the plumage in both is precisely similar. — Sw. 



Little is known respecting the habits of this bird. It was first seen by us at 

 Carlton House, on the 19th of May, flitting about for a few days among low bushes 

 on the banks of the river, after which it retired to the moist, shady woods lying 

 farther north. 



DESCRIPTION 



Of a specimen, killed at Carlton House, lat. 53° N., May, 1827. 



Colour of the head, neck, back, lesser wing and tail coverts intermediate between oil-green 

 and hair-brown. There is a pale-whitish ring round the eye, which colour also encircles the 

 front. The quill feathers, their greater coverts, a row of the lesser coverts, and the tail, are 

 pale olive-brown ; the exterior margins and ends of the secondaries being whitish, and there 

 being two narrow greyish-white bands across the wing, one on the tips of the greater secondary 

 coverts, and one on the lower row of lesser coverts. The tail is entirely without spots, the 

 exterior web of the outer feathers being merely a little paler. Under plumage. — The throat 

 and breast are pale ash-grey ; the belly, under tail coverts, and linings of the wings pale sul- 

 phur-yellow, approaching to siskin-green. On the flanks the yellow is intermixed with dark- 

 grey. The upper mandible is dark umber-brown, the under one yellowish-brown, with a 

 resinous lustre. Legs blackish-brown. 



Form. — Bill considerably depressed, the sides somewhat convex, but meeting in an evident 

 ridge. Its breadth at the base is about two-thirds of the length of its ridge. The rictus is 

 strongly bristled. The nostrils are small, roundish, and nearly concealed. The wings, when 

 folded, fall three-quarters of an inch short of the end of the tail, and reach to scarcely one-half 

 its length. The third and fourth quill feathers are the longest ; the second nearly equals them ; 

 the fifth is a line shorter ; and the sixth is two lines and a half shorter than the fourth ; the 

 first is intermediate between the sixth and seventh, and the others diminish in succession, so 

 that the tenth and the secondaries are seven or eight lines shorter than the fourth. The tail 



V 



