[45] Length 6¹⁄₄ inches, expanse 8¹⁄₂, flexure 2⁸⁄₁₀, tail 2⁵⁄₁₀, rictus ¹³⁄₂₀, breadth at base ⁷⁄₂₀, tarsus ⁶⁄₁₀, middle toe ⁴⁄₁₀. Irides hazel; feet black; beak very depressed, lateral margin convex, upper mandible black, lower pale fulvous, dark at tip. Upper parts olive-brown; wing-quills black, third longest; greater coverts, secondaries, and tertiaries edged with pale brown. Tail blackish, emarginated. Throat ashy, tinged with yellow. Breast, belly, sides, and under tail-coverts, yellowish-brown. Under wing-coverts dull-buff. There is much resemblance between this species and the _Tyrannula megacephala_ of Swainson’s Birds of Brazil, pl. 47; but they are manifestly distinct. In unfrequented mountain roads, bordered by deep forests, the Flat-bill is very common, and from its fearlessness easily obtained. In the autumn months, the traveller may observe a dozen or more in the course of a mile, sitting on the projecting branches of the way-side woods. There is, however, nothing like association of one with another; like the other Tyrants, it is quite solitary, at least in its occupation. It flies very little, the wings being short and hollow; but sits on a twig, and leaps out at vagrant flies, which it catches with a loud snap, and returns; it utters a feeble squeak as it sits. Sometimes it emits a weak wailing cry, as, it flits from one tree to another. The analogies often observed between animals possessing no affinity, is curious. The flat, weak bill, darker above than below, the general form, the hollow wings, the loose plumage, and the habit of sitting on a low twig unmoved by the presence of man, this species possesses in common with the Tody. BLACK-BILLED FLAT-BILL.[46] _Myiobius tristis._—+Mihi.+ [46] Length 6³⁄₄ inches, expanse 9¹⁄₄, flexure 2⁹⁄₁₀, tail 2³⁄₄, rictus ¹⁷⁄₂₀, breadth at base ⁴⁄₁₀, tarsus ³⁄₄, middle toe ¹¹⁄₂₀. Irides dark hazel; beak black above, dark brown beneath, formed as that of the preceding. Feet greyish black. Crown deep bistre-brown, softening on the back to a paler hue, slightly tinged with olive; tail-coverts dark umber. Wings black; greater and mid coverts, and secondaries edged with pale umber; the tertials have still paler edges. Tail smoky black, each feather narrowly edged with umber. Sides of head and neck, pale bistre. Chin, throat, and fore neck, ashy-grey, blending on the breast with the pure straw-yellow, which is the hue of the belly, sides, vent, and under tail-coverts. Edge of shoulder pale buff.