52 BULLETIN 17 9, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Eggs. — Couch's kingbird evidently lays three to five eggs, oftener 

 three or four. While showing the usual kingbird characteristics, they 

 are usually distinctive. Mr. Sennett (1884), in describing his first 

 set, says that they "are quite distinct in form, size, and ground- 

 color from any others I have seen. The blotches, too, are more 

 numerous and smaller. The large end is very round, and the small 

 end quite pointed. * * * The ground-color is a rich buff. The 

 general color of the blotches is similar to that of the Kingbird's 

 eggs, and their distribution irregular over the entire ^gg^ but massed 

 about the greater diameter. If this set proves to be typical I should 

 have no trouble in selecting the eggs of this species from any num- 

 ber of eggs of other species of the genus." 



Based on a study of 13 eggs in the United States National Museum 

 collection, Major Bendire (1895) says: "The ground color of the eggs 

 is a delicate creamy pink, and they are moderately well blotched 

 and spotted with chocolate, claret brown, heliotrope purple, and 

 lavender. These markings are, in some instances, scattered pretty 

 evenly over the entire surface of the egg; in others they are mainly 

 confined to the larger end. They are readily distinguishable from 

 the eggs of the balance of our Kingbirds by their peculiar ground 

 color, while their markings are very similar to those found on the 

 eggs of the other species of this family. The shell is close-grained 

 and rather strong, and in shape the eggs are generally ovate or 

 elongate ovate." 



The measurements of 43 eggs average 24.8 by 18.4 millimeters ; the 

 eggs showing the four extremes measure 27.2 by 19.7, 22.6 by 19.0, 

 and 23.4 by 17.0 millimeters. 



Plumages. — As the plumages of this race seem to correspond very 

 closely to those of Lichtenstein's kingbird, the reader is referred to 

 the remarks on this subject under that race, on which we have more 

 information. 



Food and 'behavior. — I can find nothing recorded on the food of 

 this subspecies, which probably does not differ materially from that 

 of the other tyrant flycatchers of this genus. Mr. Sennett (1878) 

 found Couch's kingbirds associated with common eastern kingbirds 

 in the tops of the large ebony trees, where they were doubtless in 

 pursuit of flying insects. He "did not find them shy, for after 

 our firing they would almost immediately return to the same trees." 

 The birds that we saw in Texas were very noisy and apparently 

 quite aggressive. 



Field marks. — Couch's kingbird bears a superficial resemblance 

 to Cassin's, and to a less degree to the Arkansas kingbird, though the 

 white outer webs of the outer tail feathers of the latter, which the 

 former two do not have, should eliminate any confusion. Couch's 



