ORDER PASSERES. 



PERCHING BIRDS. 

 Suborder CLAMATORES. Songless Perching Birds. 



Family TYRANNID^. Flycatchers. 



Some 350 species of Flycatchers are known belonging to this fam- 

 ily and between 35 and 40 of these occur in North America. They 

 frequent wooded localities, being rarely found away from trees or 

 bushes. They are insectivorous, catching their prey while on the 

 wing with great dexterity. They are pugnacious, especially during 

 the breeding season, fighting among themselves and fearlessly attack- 

 ing much larger birds which approach too closely the vicinity of their 

 nests. The Kingbird seems to have an especial antipathy for the 

 Crow, which it often pursues for a considerable distance. 



Genus MUSCIVORA Lacepede. 

 203. Muscivora forficata (GMEL.). 



SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER. 



Milvulus forficatus (Gmel.), A. O. U. Check List, 1895, p. 180. 



Distr.: "Texas, Oklahoma, Indian Territory, southern Kansas, 

 and southwestern Missouri, south through eastern Mexico to Costa 

 Rica; accidental in southern Florida (Key West), New Jersey, New 

 England and at York Factory, Hudson Bay." (A. O. U.) 



Adult: Tail, very long and forked; concealed crown patch, orange 

 scarlet; head and back, pale gray; rump, grayish brown; throat and 

 breast, white, shading into pink on the belly and sides; a patch of 

 bright scarlet on the sides; wings, blackish brown, with pale edges 

 to inner webs; the long outer tail feathers, pinkish white for two- 

 thirds of their length, the ends, dark brown; first primary, emargi- 

 nate near the tip. 



Length, 9.50; wing, 4.60; tail, 6 to 10 (length very variable); 

 bill, .65. 



The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher must be considered an accidental 

 straggler in Wisconsin. Not recorded from Illinois. 



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