3 i2 THE CRESTED FLYCATCHER. 



nest complement is full, or, more rarely, when the first egg is laid; and is com- 

 pleted, normally in fourteen days. The last week in May or the first in June 

 is the usual time for the first set, and two broods are not infrequently raised 

 in a season. 



Although the Kingbird never sings, it has a characteristic and not unmusi- 

 cal cry, tizic, tisic (spell it phthisic if you prefer) or tsee tsee tsee tsee, in 

 numerous combinations of syllables which are capable of expressing various 

 degrees of excitement and emotion. 



No. 137- 



CRESTED FLYCATCHER. 



A. O. U. Xo. 452. Myiarchus crinitus (Linn.). 



Description. — Adult: Above, grayish brown washed with olive-green; a 

 short crest not different in color ; wings brownish fuscous variegated by edgings, — 

 cinnamon-rufous on primaries, gray or fulvous on coverts and secondaries, green- 

 ish yellow, and sometimes broadly white on tertials ; tail cinnamon-rufous on 

 the inner webs of all except middle pair of feathers ; these and outer webs brownish 

 fuscous; sides of head, throat, and chest ashy gray; the remaining under parts 

 clear, sulphur-yellow ; bill dark brown, lighter at bast below ; feet blackish. 

 Length 8.50-9.10 (215.9-231.1) ; av. of five Columbus specimens: wing 4.18 

 (106.2) ; tail 3.68 (93.5) : bill from nostril .64 1 16.3). 



Recognition Marks. — Chewink size; ashy, sulphur-yellow, and cinnamon- 

 rufous below ; crested. 



Nest, in holes in trees or posts ; a heavy matting of grasses and trash, and 

 invariably including in its composition a cast-off snake-skin : usually at moderate 

 heights. Eggs, 3-6, peculiar, creamy brown or buff, with heavy markings and 

 pen-scratching, chiefly longitudinal, of chocolate or purplish brown. Av. size, 

 .90 x .68 (22.9 x 17.3). 



General Range. — Eastern United States and southern Canada, west to Mani- 

 toba and the Plains ; south through eastern Mexico to Costa Rica, Panama and 

 Colombia. Breeds from Florida northward. 



Range in Ohio. — Common summer resident throughout the state. 



AN outburst of sinister laughter from some distant tree-top in the woods 

 on the 28th or 29th day of April is notice that the Great Crested Flycatcher 

 has come. He is shy at first, but you may catch a glimpse of his warm brown 

 wings as he crosses some skyey space, or of his sulphur breast as he peers down 

 at you from some high limb and reports your progress in excited tones to a 

 still more timid mate. "Queep, queep, queep — Look out now. lie's coming — 

 Wheeoo," and away they scurry to laugh in high discordant notes at their 



