ARIZONA CRESTED FLYCATCHER 123 



along the Gulf coast westward to Louisiana and perhaps Texas. Dr. 

 Oberholser (1938) says: "The Southern Crested Flycatcher is a 

 fairly common summer resident, from March 12 to October 2, in 

 southeastern Louisiana, wherever woodlands or sufficient trees 

 produce a suitable habitat." 



In Florida, according to Arthur H. Howell (1932), the crested 

 flycatchers "inhabit a variety of situations — open pine forests, cypress 

 swamps, hammocks of oak or cabbage palmetto, the custard apple 

 forest on the shores of Lake Okeechobee, and the black mangrove 

 swamps near Cape Sable." 



In a general way the haunts and habits of the southern crested 

 flycatcher are similar to those of its northern relative, due allowance 

 being made for the difference in environment. It nests in similar 

 situations but uses local material; Major Bendire (1895) mentioned 

 a nest, taken near San Mateo, Fla., that "was placed in a hole in 

 the side of a rotten stump in low, flat pine woods, and was composed 

 of dry cypress leaves, pine needles, grasses, sphagnum moss, dead 

 leaves, bunches of hair, snake exuviae, strips of cypress bark, weeds, 

 grass roots, palmetto fiber, and feathers; it was lined with bunches 

 of hair, feathers, strips of cypress bark, and pieces of snakeskin." 



Charles J. Pennock mentions, in some notes he sent me, the attempts 

 of a pair to build a nest in a stovepipe that served as chimney for 

 a building occupied by a colored "Auntie." The stovepipe ran out 

 horizontally and then turned upward. One morning the old lady 

 lighted a fire, had trouble with the draft, and was "fairly smoked 

 out." A peck or more of nesting material was taken out of the pipe. 



Although the northern crested flcatcher does not habitually attack 

 crows and hawks, H. H. Bailey (1925) says that birds of the Florida 

 race of the species "are of great benefit in helping to drive off the 

 crows and hawks bent on catching the farmers little chicks, and I 

 have seen them pursue these intruders for some distance, in company 

 with a kingbird." 



The eggs of the southern crested flycatcher are like those of its 

 northern relative, and do not seem to differ much from them in size. 

 The measurements of 40 eggs average 22.4 by 17.6 millimeters ; the eggs 

 showing the four extremes measure 23.8 by 19.0, 20.6 by 17.5, and 

 21.4 by 15.9 millimeters. 



MYIARCHUS TYKANNULUS MAGISTER Ridgway 



ARIZONA CRESTED FLYCATCHER 



HABITS 



The Arizona crested flycatcher is the largest of the North American 

 species of the genus Myiarchus. It is similar in general appearance 



