_Little Tom-fool._
_Myiobius stolidus._—+Mihi.+
[47] Length 7¹⁄₂ inches, expanse 10¹⁄₂, flexure 3¹⁄₄, tail 3,
rictus 1, tarsus ⁹⁄₁₀, middle toe ¹¹⁄₂₀. Irides dark hazel; beak
black; feet blackish grey. Upper parts bistre-brown, rather paler
on the back. Wing primaries have the basal part of their outer
edge, narrowly chestnut; greater and mid coverts, secondaries and
tertiaries, edged and tipped with whitish. Tail even, the feathers
broadly edged inwardly with chestnut. Cheeks grey, mottled;
chin, throat, and fore-breast, greyish white; breast, belly,
vent under-tail-coverts, and interior of wings pale yellow. Head
feathers erectile. Female has the primaries and tail-feathers edged
with whitish, instead of chestnut. Two minute cæca.
For a time I considered this to be the Pewee of Wilson, but its
superior size, grey throat, and rufous edges of the wing and tail,
have convinced me that it is quite distinct. I have little information
to give concerning it that would distinguish it from the other Tyrants.
It resides in Jamaica permanently, and is of rather common occurrence,
at the edges of woods; it manifests, perhaps, less fear of man than
even its congeners, often pursuing its employment of catching insects
though a person stand beneath the twig which it has chosen as a
station. If it does remove it usually perches again a few yards off,
and sits looking at the stranger.
I have not found its nest; but near the end of August, I met some negro
boys who had three young ones of this species, which they had just
taken from the nest, situated, as they described, in a hollow stump.