TYEANNICa; — THE TYRANT FLYCATCHERS. 345 



the first primary shorter than the sixth. Head with elongated lanceolate distinct feath- 

 ers. Above brownish olive, throat ash, belly yellow. Tall and wing feathers varied 

 with rufous. [Hist. N. Am. B.) 



This genus is one of the most strongly marked in the entire 

 family. This species are of exceptionally irritable, pugnacious dis- 

 position, continually quarreling among themselves, and during the 

 breeding-season, attacking all larger birds which approach the vi- 

 cinity of the nest. The latter is jjlaced within holes in trees, and 

 the eggs are remarkable for the fine and intricate pencilings of 

 various rich shades of brown upon a creamy ground. In fact they 

 are among the most striking in their color and markings of all 

 bird's eggs. 



A single species {M. crinitus) inhabits eastern North America, 

 another {M. cineraseens) replacing it in the west. 



Myiarchus crinitus (Linn.) 



CRESTED FLYCATCHEE. 



Popular synonyms. Great Yellow-bellied Flycatcher; Great crested Flycatcher. 



Muscicaija criiiita LiNN. S. N. ed. 12,i,1766,3iK.— WiLS. Am. Orn. ii, 181«,75,pl. 13,fig. 2.— 

 NUTT. Man. i, 1832,271.— AuD. Orn. Biog. ii. 183-!, 176; v, 1839, 423,pl. 129; Synop. 1839,40; 

 B. Am.i,1840,209,pl. 57. 



Tyrannus crinitus Sw. 1826.— NtJTT. Man.2d ed. 1840,302. 



Myiarchus crinitus Cab. 1855.— Baikd, B. N. Am. 1858,128; Cat. N. Am. B. 1859. No. 130. 

 —CouES, Key, 1872, 171; Cheek List, 1874, No. 247; 2d ed. 1882, No. 373; B. N. W. 1874, 

 238.— B. B. &E. Hist. N. Am. B. 11,1874,334, pi. 43, flg. 3.— KiDGW. Nom. N. Am. B. 

 1881, No. 312. 



Hab. Eastern United States and British Provinces, but rare northeastward beyond 

 the Connecticut valley ; west to the edge of the Great Plains. In winter, Guatemala, and 

 south to Costa Eiea; Cuba? 



"Sp. Chak. Head with a depressed crest. Third quill longest; fourth and second 

 successively but little shorter; first a little longer than seventh; much shorter than 

 sixth. Tail decidedly rounded or even graduated ; the lateral feathers about .25 of an inch 

 shorter. Upper parts dull greenish olive, with the feathers of the crown and to some 

 extent of the back showing their brown centres; upper tail-coverts turning to pale 

 rusty brown. Some feathers at the base of the bill, lores, sides of the head as high as 

 the upper eyelid, sides of the neck, throat, and forepart of the breast, bluish ashy; the 

 rest of the lower parts, including axillaries and lower wing-coverts, bright sulphur- yel- 

 low. A pale ring round the eye. Sides of the bjeast and body tinged with olivaceous. 

 The wings brown; the first and second rows of coverts, with the secondary and tertial 

 quills, margined externally with dull white, or on the latter slightly tinged with oliva- 

 ceous yellow. Primaries margined externally for more than half their length from the 

 base with ferruginous; greater portion of the inner webs of all the quills very pale fer- 

 ruginous. The two middle tail-feathers light brown, shafts paler; the rest have the 

 outer web and a narrow line on the inner sides of the shaft brown, pale olivaceous on the 

 outer edge ; the remainder ferruginous to the very tip. Outer web of exterior feather 

 dull brownish yellow. Feet black. Bill dark brown above and at the tip below; paler 

 towards the base. Length, 8.75; wing, 4.25; tail, 4.10; tarsus, .85." 



