Outer tail-feather, with the whole of the outer web (only), white. No black on the forehead, but a stripe over the eye above one of whitish. Hab. Arizona … P. plumbea.
Top of head black.
Edge only of outer web of outer tail-feather white. Entire top of head from the bill black. Hab. Rio Grande and Gila … P. melanura.
Species occur over the whole of America. One, P. lembeyi, is peculiar to Cuba, and a close ally of P. cærulea.
Polioptila cærulea, Sclat.
BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER; EASTERN GNATCATCHER.
Motacilla cærulea, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 337 (based on Motacilla parva cærulea, Edw. tab. 302). Culicivora cærulea, Cab. Jour. 1855, 471 (Cuba).—Gundlach, Repert. 1865, 231. Polioptila cærulea, Sclater, P. Z. S. 1855, 11.—Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 380.—Ib. Rev. 74.—Dresser, Ibis, 1865, 231.—Cooper, Birds Cal. 1, 35. Motacilla cana, Gm. S. N. I, 1788, 973. ? Culicivora mexicana, Bon. Consp. 1850, 316 (not of Cassin), female. Polioptila mexicana, Sclater, P. Z. S. 1859, 363, 373.
Figures: Vieill. Ois. II, pl. lxxxviii.—Wilson, Am. Orn. II, pl. xviii, fig. 3.—Aud. Orn. Biog. I, pl. lxxxiv; Ib. Birds Am. I, pl. lxx.
Sp. Char. Above grayish-blue, gradually becoming bright blue on the crown. A narrow frontal band of black extending backwards over the eye. Under parts and lores bluish-white tinged with lead-color on the sides. First and second tail-feathers white except at the extreme base, which is black, the color extending obliquely forward on the inner web; third and fourth black, with white tip, very slight on the latter; fifth and sixth entirely black. Upper tail-coverts blackish-plumbeous. Quills edged externally with pale bluish-gray, which is much broader and nearly white on the tertials. Female without any black on the head. Length, 4.30; wing, 2.15; tail, 2.25. (Skin.)
Hab. Middle region of United States, from Atlantic to Pacific, and south to Guatemala; Cape St. Lucas. Cuba, Gundlach and Bryant. Bahamas, Bryant.