342 BIRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



TYRANNULI. Size K<>m>rally HiniiU; rulors iinunlly plain: crown witliont any oolorort 

 oroRl cnnooiilnil tiy thi- tlpn of tin- fi-iilliiTH: prlninrli's iiormnl: «<•«!<>» of tlii- upper part of 

 tlio birxiix UKimlly ('ontinuinie only to tlif middle of the uiiHir fuce.unJ a woond Bi'rles 

 opposlto to tlii-ni lii'hlnd. 



1. Tall li'iiKtlii'nod: about oqiial to thi> wlnefl.whirh reach ficarecly to the middle. 

 HyiarohoR. Tnrsu« equal to the middle toe. which Is decidedly longer than the 

 hiiidvr line. Tail even or rounded. Throat pale a-fh. rest of lower part?* yellow 

 (.'enerally. the primaries edued with rufous, ami Inner webs of tail-feathers with 

 more or less of thu same color. Nest in a cavity of a tree, of loose material: 

 eKes whitish, with Intrii'ate tangled lines and streaks of dark brown, the geo- 

 I'ral ctTect salmon-color. 



Sayornis. Tarsus rather Uincer than the middle too, which Is scarcely longer 

 llian llic hind too. Tall sliuhtly forked. Bill very narrow. No light orbital 

 ring, nor distinct bands onwlnga: both mandibles blaek. Nest attni-hed to 

 rocks or parts of buildings, very compact and bulky, containing much mud In 

 its composition: eggs pure white, immaoulate. or with very minute sparse 

 dots near larger end. 



2. Tail decidedly shorter than the wings, which roach beyond Its middle. Tarsus 

 shorter than the middle toe, 



Contopus. Hind toe much longer than the lateral. Tall considerably forked, 

 Wiiiu'S long, pointed; much longer than the tail, reaching beyond the middle of 

 the latter: llrst quill about cfiual to the fourth. Bill broad. Color olive-gray, 

 and white, somclinics with a yellowish tinge beneath. Lower mandible palo 

 colored. Nest .saucer- shaped. I'ompact, and very small, saddled very seourely 

 upon a thick branch ; eggs cream-colored, with a zone of lilac and rich brown 

 blotches round the large end. 



3. Tail .shorter than the wings, as in the last. Tarsus considerably longer than 

 the middle toe: hind toe much longer than the lateral. Tall nearly even, some- 

 times slightly rounded, but llttlu shorter than the wings: first primary much 

 shorter than tlie fourth. 



Empidonax. Head moderately crested : tall about even. Bristles of bill reach- 

 ing about half way to tip. Legs stout. K conspicuous light orbital ring, and 

 distinct band, on the wing. More or less tinged with sulphur-yellow on lower 

 parts. Nest variously constructed, deeply cup-shaped, compact or loose, en- 

 tirely of either grassy or fibrous and downy material, and ll.xed to slender 

 twigs nr lodged in a crotch between thick branches; eggs white, immaculate, 

 or with blotches of brown round larger end. 



Genus TYRANNUS Cl\7er. 



Turanniis CuviEB, Lemons Anat. Comp. 1799.abl. ii. Type, /yniiiH.f tt/rannus.Lvss. 



Oen. Cbab. Tyrant-birds of large medium, or rather small size, with strong, conical 

 bills. strongly bristled rictus, even, cmargiuntcd, or slightly rounded tail, and the ends of 

 the outer primaries abruptly narrowed. Crown with a concealed colored crest (red, 

 orange, or yellow); pluinau'c without streaks or bars. 



The above brief diajjnosis, althoii{;;li imperfect, will suffice to dis- 

 tinguish the members of Tynninus froui those of allied genera. 

 Milrulits agrees in the attenuation of the outer primaries, the colored 

 crest, and many other features, but the tail is excessively forked, 

 the lateral feathers twice, or more, as long as the middle pair. 

 Pitanfliiii is also quite similar in many respects, hut has the bill 



