56 BULLETIN 17 9, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Behavior. — Mr. van Rossem (Dickey and van Rossem, 1938) says 

 that "in general, these kingbirds resemble in habits their congeners 

 of the north. The most noticeable differences are their comparatively 

 placid and less pugnacious natures, and the very diiferent character 

 of the call-notes. Instead of the sharp, raucous clatter of sounds so 

 characteristic of the northern species, the voice of chloronotus is sub- 

 dued and at times almost musical." 



TYRANNUS MELANCHOLICUS OCCIDENTALIS Hartert and Goodson 



WEST MEXICAN KINGBIRD 



HABITS 



The 1931 Check-list includes this Mexican race as a straggler, based 

 on a specimen in the Dickey collection in the California Institute of 

 Technology, collected by Carl Lien in Jefferson County, Wash., on 

 November 18, 1916. In recording this specimen, A. J. van Rossem 

 (1929) says: 



This specimen was purchased by Mr. Dickey from Paul Trapier as part of a 

 general collection of Washington birds mostly taken by Mr. Lien. It was labelled 

 by the original collector as "Ash-throated Flycatcher." 



The specimen here recorded is somewhat soot-stained, but is clearly of the 

 west-Mexican race which differs from the Central American in having paler, 

 less intensely yellow underparts and slightly larger bill. Except for the darker 

 tinge caused by soot-stain, it is very similar to two birds from Escuinapa, 

 Sinaloa. « • * 



In view of the subspecific status of the Washington bird, it would appear 

 that a re-examination of Mr. Kermode's specimen is desirable. Logically, it 

 should be of the north-west Mexican race rather than the Central American race." 



Since the 1931 Check-list ^yas published, James Lee Peters (1936) 

 has discovered a specimen of the west Mexican kingbird in the Thayer 

 collection in Cambridge; it vs^as taken by H. H. Kimball at Fort 

 Lowell, near Tucson, Ariz., on May 12, 1905. 



And now we have strong evidence to indicate that this kingbird 

 may be a regular summer resident and breeder in southern Arizona. 

 Allan R. Phillips (1940) reports that he has collected both adults 

 and young birds, the latter evidently hatched in the vicinity, near 

 Tucson, Ariz. ; and during the summers of 1938 and 1939 he and his 

 companions saw other families of these birds on several occasions, 

 "making a total of possibly four pairs present in the area covered in 

 1939." Mr. Phillips writes on the subject : 



It seems evident that the West Mexican Kingbird is a regular summer resident 

 at the present time near Tucson, from May 12 to September 3 at least. The 

 numbers present are not great. The birds have been seen by a few other ob- 

 servers, also. Including Dr. A. A. Allen, A. H. Anderson, Dr. Wm. L. Holt, F. W. 

 Loetscher, Jr., and Gale Monson. 



The call of this kingbird is strikingly different from those of the three northern 

 kingbirds, being of a metallic rather than a throaty quality. It consists of a 



