BIRDS TYRANNINAK — TYRANNUS CAROLINENSIS. 



171 



Comparative measuremenls of the species. 



TYRANNUS CAROLINENSIS, Baird. 



King Bird; Bee Martin. 



Lanius tyrannus, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 176G, 136. This belongs to the Cuban T. matutinus, according to Bonaparte. 

 Muscicapa tyrannui, (Brisson?) Wilson, Am. Orn. I, 1808,66; pi. .xiii.— Add. Orn. Biog. 1, 1832,403: V, 183U, 



420 ; pi. 79.— Ib. Birds Amer. I, 1840, 204 ; pi. 56. 

 I^ntiu lyrannus, var. y carotuiensis, 6 liidovicianus, Gmelih, Syst. Nat. I, 1788,302. 

 Muscicapa rex, Barton, Fragments N. H. Penna. 1799, 18. 



Tyronntwpipiri, Vieillot, Ois. Am. Sept. 1, 1807, 73 ; pi. xliv. — Cab. Journ. Orn. Ill, 185.5, 478. 

 Tyrannus intrepiduSfYiEtLi.OT, GalerieOis. I, 1824,214; pi. 133.-Swainson, Mon. Ty. Shrikes Quart. Jour. 1826,274. 

 .Vuscicapa animosa, LicuT. Vorz. Doubl. 1823, No. 558. 

 Gobe Mouche dt la Caroline, Bdffon, Ois. V, 281 ; enl. pi. 676. 

 Tyrannxa leucogaster, Stephens, Shaw Gen.ZooI. XIII, u, 1826, 132. 



Sp. On. — Two, sometimes three, outer primaries abruptly attenuated at the end. Second quill longest ; third little shorter ; 

 first rather longer than fourth, or nearly equal. Tail slightly rounded. Above dark bluish asli. The top and sides of the head 

 to beneath the eyes bluish black. A concealed crest on the crown, vermilion in the centre, while behind, and before partially 

 mi.Ted with orange. Lower parts pure white, tinged with pale bluish ash on the sides of the throat and across the breast; sides 

 of the breast and under the wings similar to, but rather lighter than, the back. A.\illaries pale grayish brown tipped with 

 lighter. The wings dark brown, darkest towards the ends of the quills ; the greater coverts and quills edged with white, most so 

 on the tertials ; the lesser coverts edged with paler. Upper tail coverts and upper surface of the tail glossy black, the latter 

 very dark brown beneath ; all the feathers tipped, and the exterior margined externally with white, forming a conspicuous ter- 

 minal band about .25 of an inch broad. Length, 8.50 ; wing, 4.65 inches ; tail, 3.70 ; tarsus, .75. 



Hob. — Eastern North America to Rocky Mountains. West of this seen only in Washington Territory. 



The young of the year is similar ; the colors duller ; the concealed colored patch on the 

 crown wanting. The tail more rounded ; the primaries not attenuated. 



Specimens vary in the amount of wliite margining the wing feathers ; the upper tail coverts 

 are also margined sometimes with white. 



