mistaken for the Pewee. A glance, however, at their bills at once shews a material
difference: that of nundola being more elevated and compressed, the ridge on the
upper mandible more distinct, and the sides less dilated; while the feet in T. Richard-
sonii are not only much smaller, but do not exceed in size or length those of Wilson’s
querula. The incumbent crest on the head of our bird is particularly thick and
lengthened, more so, indeed, than in any of its congeners; its upper plumage, when
compared with nundola, is more olive, the whitish margins of the lesser quills more
obscure, and the under plumage of a more olive-whitish tint; the frontal setaceous
feathers are also longer: but all these are secondary characters, which, had they not
been supported by a difference of organization in the two species, would not have
authorised their separation. We may, however, add, that the tail of Richardsonii is more forked. The paler margin of the exterior tail feather is not a peculiar
distinction of nundola, for it is found in this and several other of these obscure-
coloured American Fly-catchers. In the arrangement of the quill feathers, however,
our bird exhibits another strong point of distinction: the third and fourth
quills are equal and longest; but in nundola this character belongs to the second
and third, the latter quill being alone the longest ; in this the second and fifth
quills are equal, in that the fifth is two-tenths of an inch shorter. Our Tyrannula
barbirostris makes the nearest approach, in the peculiar tint of its upper plumage,
and its thick incumbent crest, to this species, of any we are acquainted with ,
but it is a very distinct bird. It is manifestly impossible to ascertain what are
the species intended to be characterized by M. Vieillot under the names of
M . fusca, Todus obscurus, M . acadica, and querula; they are obviously distinct,
as Bonaparte observes, from such species as were known to Wilson, and had
better be consigned to oblivion, unless they are re-described with greater accuracTyh.—
is Snwew. species was found in the neighbourhood of Cumberland House, frequenting
moist, shady woods by the banks of rivers and lakes. It probably extends
its summer range to the shores of Great Slave Lake ; but much more accurate
observations than we had in our power to make are required to ascertain the exact
geographical limits of a bird so nearly resembling other species.—R.
DESCRIPTION
Of a specimen, killed at Cumberland House, June, 1827-
C olour of the dorsal aspect hair-brown, very slightly tinged with olive-green, much darker
on the head than elsewhere. Wings and tail liver-brown ; the margins of the secondaries and
their coverts, and the outer edges of the exterior tail feathers, paler, as if worn. The under U 2