Bill of moderate length, rather stout, subtrigonal, depressed at the base, straight; upper mandible with its dorsal outline nearly straight, and declinate, to near the tip, which is deflected, slender, compressed, and acute, the edges sharp and overlapping, with a slight notch close to the tip; lower mandible with the angle rather long and wide, the back broad at the base, the dorsal line ascending and very slightly convex, the edges sharp, the tip acute. Nostrils basal, roundish, partly covered by the bristly feathers.
Head rather large; neck short; body ovate. Feet short; tarsus with six anterior very broad scutella. Toes free, slender; the first stout, the lateral equal; claws rather long, arched, slender, much compressed, very acute.
Plumage soft and blended. Bristles at the base of the upper mandible strong. Wings rather long, the first four quills longest, with their inner webs emarginate and attenuate at the end. Tail very long, deeply forked, of twelve broad, rounded feathers.
Bill and feet black. Iris hazel. Upper part of the head, the cheeks, and the hind part and sides of the neck, ash-grey; scapulars and back darker and tinged with reddish-brown; the rump darker, the upper tail-coverts black. Wings brownish black, all the feathers margined with greyish-white, the anterior wing-coverts scarlet; tail-feathers deep black, with their terminal margins white, the three outer on each side pale rose-coloured to near the end. The throat, fore part of neck and breast, pure white; the sides, abdomen, and lower tail-coverts, and lower wing-coverts, pale rose-colour; the axillary feathers bright scarlet.
Length to end of tail 11 1/2 inches, to end of wings 7 1/2; tail to the fork 2 2/12, to the end 5 1/2; wing from flexure 5 1/8; bill along the ridge 5/8, along the edge of lower mandible 7/8; tarsus 3/4; hind toe 3/8, its claw 4/12; middle toe 5 1/2/12, its claw 3 1/2/12.
SAY’S FLYCATCHER.
Muscicapa Saya, Bonap.
PLATE CCCLIX. Male and Female.
This species was first discovered by Titian Peale, Esq. of Philadelphia, and named after Mr Thomas Say by Bonaparte, who described and figured it in his continuation of Wilson’s American Ornithology. It appears to range over a very extensive portion of country, lying between Mexico and the settlements of the British Fur Companies, a pair having been procured at Carlton House, as mentioned by Dr Richardson. Little is yet known of the habits of this species, but it would seem, from Mr Nuttall’s remarks, to be a rupestrine Flycatcher, and not strictly arboreal, as supposed by Mr Swainson.
“We first observed this bird,” says Mr Nuttall, “in our route westward, about the 14th of June, within the first range of the Rocky Mountains called the Black Hills, and in the vicinity of that northern branch of the Platte known by the name of Larimie’s Fork. At the time, we saw a pair perched as usual on masses of rocks, from which, like the Pewee, though occasionally alighted, they flew after passing insects, without uttering any note that we heard; and from their predilection, it is probable they inhabit among broken hills and barren rocks, where we have scarcely a doubt, from their behaviour, they had at this time a brood in a nest among these granite cliffs. They appeared very timorous on our approach, and seemed very limited in their range. Except among the Blue Mountains of the Columbia, we scarcely ever saw them again. Their manners appear to be very much like those of the Common Pewee; but they are much more silent and shy.”
Muscicapa Saya, Ch. Bonaparte, Synopsis of Birds of United States, p. 67.—Amer. Ornith. vol. i. p. 20, pl. 2, fig. 3.