The Audubon Magazine 



Vol. II. 



OCTOBER, 1888. 



No. 9. 



THE FORK-TAILED FLYCATCHER. 



YOU will readily see if you glance at 

 the plate on the opposite page whence 

 this bird derives its name. It is by no 

 means a familiar bird, and probably few 

 of our readers, except those who live in the 

 extreme Southwest, have ever seen one. 

 There, however, they are abundant enough, 

 and have much the same habits as our well- 

 known kingbird. It is really a bird of the 

 tropics, and is found in Mexico, but only 

 accidentally north of that Republic, al- 

 though Audubon reports having observed 

 it in Louisiana and Kentucky, and both 

 he and Bonaparte speak of specimens taken 

 in New Jersey. 



The Fork-tailed Flycatcher belongs to 

 the family Tyrannidcz, a large group of birds 

 found only in America, and most abundant 

 near the equator. The name is taken from 

 the Greek word rv' pavvoi, which means 

 a ruler or sovereign. It is the same word 

 that gives us our English word tyrant, but 

 the original has no bad sense, while tyrant, 

 as we use it, always conveys the idea of op- 

 pression. If we remember the habits of 

 our own little kingbird, which is also one of 

 the Tyraniiidce, we can see how applicable 

 the family name is to some members of this 

 group. There are over four hundred cur- 

 rent species, of which, probably, two-thirds 

 are valid, the others being either slight 

 varieties or else mere synonyms. 



The Tyrant Flycatchers of the United' 

 States have ten primaries or quill feathers 

 on the outer joint of the wing. The tail 

 consists of twelve feathers usually nearly 

 even, but sometimes, as in the case in the 

 present species, deeply forked. The feet 

 are small and weak, only fitted for perching. 

 The bill is broad, much flattened at the 

 base and turned down at its tip, and 

 there is usually a notch just behind this 

 hook. The nostrils are small, circular in 

 shape and placed at the base of the bill, 

 " and are overhung by bristles. The mouth 

 is large, opening back nearly or quite to 

 the eyes, and bordered by long hairs or 

 bristles. The bill is extensively hollow, and 

 very light and resonant, and when snapped 

 makes quite a loud, clicking noise. As has 

 been often remarked, this large, light bill 

 and capacious mouth bordered by bristles 

 is admirably adapted for the capture of fly- 

 ing insects. Besides the Tyrant Flycatchers 

 are swift of wing, and active enough in 

 pursuit to follow each twist and turn of the 

 insects that are seeking to escape them. 

 They may be readily recognized by their 

 flight, and above all by their habit of perch- 

 ing to await the approach of their prey, 

 and then darting out, seizing it and return- 

 ing to the same perch again. The snapping 

 of the bill can often be heard while they are 

 doing this. 



