PERCHING BIRDS 





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445. Gray Kingbird. 



Ty I'd a n us do m i a icensis. 



Range. — West Indies; north in April to Flor- 

 ida and the South Atlantic States to South 

 Carolina and casually farther. 



This species is slightly larger than our King 

 hird, (9 inches long), grayish instead of dark 

 drah above, white below, and without any 

 white tip to tail. Like 

 the common Kingbird, it ^_„- 



has a concealed orange 

 patch on the crown. Their 

 habits and nesting habits 

 are the same as those of 

 our common bird, but the 

 nest is not generally as 

 well built, and nearly al- 

 ways is made largely of 

 twigs. The three or four eg^s have a creamy 

 or a creamy pink ground color, spotted and 

 blotched with dark brown and lilac, most nuin 

 erously about the large end. Size 1.00 x .7M. 

 Tarpon Springs, Florida, May 28, 1802. Nest of twigs and weed 

 Collector, J. A. South ley. 



446. Couch's Kingbird. Tyrannus melancholicus couchi. 

 Range. — Mexico, north in summer to southern Texas. 

 This species is very similar to the next but t lie throat 



and breast are white,, and the underparts a brighter yel- 

 low. Like the other members of this genus, these build 

 their nests in any location in trees or bushes, making them 

 of twigs, weeds and moss. Their three or four eggs have 

 a creamy ground with a pinkish cast and are spotted 

 with brown and lilac. Size .07 x .12. 





I '.r;iv 



Bufl 



Vrkan a 



I 17- Ark vnsas Ki ngbird. 

 Tyrannus verticalis. 



Range. — Western United States and southern 

 British Provinces from Kansas and Minnesota 

 wesl to the Pacific. 



This species has grayish upper parts, shad 

 ing into darker on the wings and tail, and 

 lighter on the throat and upper breast; the 

 underparts arc yellow, and there is a concealed 

 patch of orange on the crown. They are very 

 abundant throughout the west, where 1 1 1 < ■ > 

 nave the same familiar habits of the eastern 



• 3ting in all sorts of locations such a 



would be 11 ed by the latter. Their oests are 

 of plant fibres, weeds, string, paper or 

 any trash that may be handy, being sometime 

 quite bulky. Their eggs do not differ in any 

 particular from those Ol the eastern bird. c\ 



cepl thai thc> maj average a little smaller, 



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