200 
U. S. P. R. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS—ZOOLOGY-GENERAL REPORT. 
smaller, and more olivaceous above and below ; the tarsi very much shorter ; the most tangible 
character is seen in the absence of the white on the outer web of the external tail feather, 
which is only a little paler brown than elsewhere. 
Catal. No. 
Sex. 
Locality. 
Whence obtained. 
7236 
Monterey, Cal. 
W. Hutton. 
10079 
s 
Fort Tejon, Cal_...._ 
John Xantus de Vesey 
10080 
9 
_do_____ 
EMPIDONAX OBSCURUS, Baird. 
?Tyrannula cbscura, Swainson, Syn. Mex. Birds, in Philos. Mag. I, 1827, 367. 
Sp. Ch.—B ill very narrow. Tarsi long. Second, third, and fourth quills longest; first shorter than sixth. Tail rounded. 
Above dull brownish olive, paler on the rump, tinged with gray on the head. Loral region and space round the eye whitish. 
Throat and fore part of the breast grayish white, slightly tinged with olive across the latter ; the rest of the under parts pale 
yell wish. Wings and tail brown ; the former with two conspicuous bands of brownish white; the outer primary edged, the 
secondaries and tertials edged and tipped with the same. The outer web of the external tail feather white, in strong contrast. 
Length, 5.75 ; wing, 2.75 ; tail, 2.55 ; tarsus, .70. 
Hub .—Rocky mountains of Texas. 
In this species the primaries are about .55 of an inch longer than the secondaries ; the first 
quill about .35 of an inch shorter than the longest. There is a decided tendency to grayish 
white edgings to the quill and tail feathers. 
The most decided character of this species is seen in the combination of the narrow hill and 
the white outer margin of the external tail feather, together with the long tarsi. The colors 
are otherwise much like those of minimus and iraillii; the yellow beneath is, however, more 
ochraceous. The bill measured across opposite the middle of the nostrils is less than half its 
length from the forehead, instead of being considerably more, as in nearly all the other North 
American species, except hammondii. 
The only description I can find which applies approximately to this species is that of T. 
obscuroj of Swainson, Syn. birds Mexico, in Philos. Magazine, 1827, No. 10, which is stated to 
he : “ Above olive gray, beneath yellowish white; wings short, brown, with two whitish bands; 
tail brown, even, with a pale yellow margin. Length, 5.25 ; bill nearly .70 ; wings and tail, 
2.50 ; tarsi, .60.” The present species agrees in the white margin of the tail, but the under 
parts are gray anteriorly; the tail slightly rounded; the wings 2.75 inches; the tarsi .70, 
and thus much longer ; the bill, only .50. The differences of measurement may, however, 
be more accidental and real, and the smaller size the result of the more southern locality on 
the table lands of Mexico. For the present, therefore, I retain the name obscurus, but should 
this prove distinct, shall claim that of E. wrigfitii, the discoverer, by which I had provisionally 
designated it. 
Catal. 
No. 
Sex. 
Locality. 
Whence obtained. 
Collected by— 
Length. 
Stretch 
of wings. 
Wing. 
7234 
7237 
8? 
S 
El Paso, Texas_ 
Col. Graham.. 
C. Wright_ 
.do. 
5.75 
6. 37 
8 62 
8. 50 
2. 75 
2.87 
