288 BIRDS OF WESTERN AND 



the bottom, about a foot fi-om the top, was the nest, composed of hair, wool, and the castings of a snake; tne 

 hole was just large enough to admit my hand to extract the eggs, five in number, which are of a cream color, 

 with numerous reddish-brown splashes." 



124. 3fj/iarchus lawrencii (Giraud). 



" " Proc. Bost. Soc. of N. H., xiv., p. 279. 



Mazatlan, Tres Marias, Grayson ; Plains of Colima, Xantus. 



" Common and resident in the Marias ; found also on the main-land in this locality, but not so numerous." 



125. Myiarchus cinerascens Lawr. 

 Mazatlan, Grayson. 



"Inhabits the woodland districts; common all the year." 



126. Tyrannus melancholicus var. satrapa Cab. et Heine. 

 Mazatlan, Grayson ; Plains of Colima, Xantus. 



"This is one of the most common flycntchers in Northwestern Mexico, and is pretty well distributed 

 throughout .all of the interior. They inhabit the open country usually in pairs, and are constant residents of 

 the locality to which they have become attached, seldom migr.ating to any great distance. They are very 

 pugnacious during the breeding season, attacking and pursuing every bird, particularly the crows and hawks 

 that come in the neighborhood of their nests. It performs some beautiful evolutions in the air when in pur- 

 suit of the various winged insects upon which it preys." 



127. Tyrannus melancholicus var. couchii Baird. 

 Mazatlan, Grayson. 



128. Tyrannus vociferans Sw. 

 Plains of Colima, Xantus. 



129. Tyrannus verticaUs Say. 



Tepic, Grayson ; Plains of Colima, Xantus. 



130. Tyrannus crassirostris Sw. 



Megarhynckus crassirostris Finsch, Abli. nat. Ver. zu Bremen, 1870, p. 329. 

 Rio Mazatlan, Grayson. 



"This large and handsome flycatcher is a h.abitant of Western Mexico, .and perhaps its geographical range 

 extends further south. Unlike most of the flycatchers, it invariably perches upon the topmost branches of 

 the tallest trees, always preferring a withered branch or leafless tree, where its vision is unobstructed whilst 

 calmly waiting for its prey to jjass, which consists of the larger beetles, and other winged insects. When one 

 of them passes within range of its keen vision, it immediately gives pursuit, and if successful in capturing it 

 will return to its perch, and after beating its prize on the branch until dead, or stunned, swallows it entire. 

 When sitting upon its lofty perch quietly surveying the scene around, it has a proud and kingly .appearance, 

 seeming to disdain to turn his head toward the lower brushwood, where his smaller congeners are pursuing 

 their more humble avocation in darting at, and snapping up, the smaller winged insects. They are generally 

 found in pairs, and build their nests upon a horizontal branch of very large and tall trees, where they are in- 

 accessible to the naturalist. During the breeding season they are very tyr.annical, attacking with ferocity 

 every bird, hawk, crow or vulture, that should happen to approach too near their domicil." 



