SWALLOW-TAILED FLYCATCHER. 159 



probably from want of examination, that he has not considered the 

 present bird as belonging to that section. 



MUSCICAPA FORFICATA. 



SWALLOW-TAILED FLYCATCHER. 



[Plate II. Fig. 1.] 



Muscicapa forficata, Gmel. Si/st. i., p. 931, Sp. 22. — Lath. Lid. p. 485, Sp. 70.— 

 ViEiLL. Ois. de I'Am. Sept. i., p. 71. — Stephens, Cont. of Shaw's Zool. xx., p. 

 413, PI. 3. Tyrannus forjicatus, Say, in Long's Expedition to the Rocky Moun- 

 tains, II., p. 224. — Moucherolle a queue fourclme de Mexique, Buff. Ois. iv., p. 

 564. — Gobe-monche d queue fourcliue de Mexique, Buff. PI. Enl. 667. — Swallow- 

 tailed Flycatcher, Lath. Syn. ii.. Part, i., p. 356, Sp. 60. 



This rare and beautiful bird is, I believe, now figured from nature 

 for the second time ; and, as the plate given by Buffon conveys but an 

 imperfect idea of its characters, the representation in the accompanying 

 engraving will certainly prove the more accessible to naturalists. That 

 author had the merit of publishing the first account of this species ; 

 and the individual he described, was received from that part of Louisiana 

 which borders on Mexico. Neither Latham, Gmelin, nor Vieillbt, seem 

 to have had an opportunity of examining this bird, as they have 

 evidently drawn on Buffon for what they have said relative to it. Hence 

 it appears, that the Swallow-tailed Flycatcher has never been obtained 

 from the time of Buffon to the period of Major Long's expedition to 

 the unexplored region it inhabits. The specimen before us, which is a 

 fine adult male, was shot by Mr. Titian Peale, on the twenty-fourth of 

 August, on the Canadian fork of the Arkansas river. 



Although this bird is very different from the Fork-tailed Flycatcher, 

 yet on account of the form of the tail, and the similarity of the com- 

 mon name, they are apt to be mistaken for each other ; and, when both 

 are immature, some caution is required to avoid referring them to the 

 same species. Notwithstanding this similarity, some authors have placed 

 the Fork-tailed Flycatcher in their genus Tyrannus., and the present bird 

 in Muscicapa ; Avhereas, from an inspection of the bills, it will at once 

 be seen, that the latter would be still more properly placed in their genus 

 Tyrannus, as the form of its bill is exactly the same with that of the 

 King-bird, the type of the sub-genus. 



The Swallow-tailed Flycatcher, when in full plumage, is eleven inches 

 long. The bill and feet are blackish ; the irides are brown (red ac- 

 cording to authors). The upper part of the head and neck is of a 



