ONTARIO. 



Eggs, 4 to 6 ; creamy or rosy-white, spotted and blotched with reddish, 

 brown and lilac shell-spots. 



The Kingbird arrives in Ontario from the south about the 

 loth of May, and from that time till it leaves again in 

 September it is one of the most familiar birds in the rural 

 districts. It is generally distributed, each pair taking 

 possession of a certain "limit," which is valiantly defended 

 against all intruders, no bird however large being permitted to 

 come with impunity near where the Kingbird's treasures are 

 deposited. It is partial to pasture fields, a favorite perch being 

 the top of a dry mullein stalk. Here the male sits like a 

 sentinel, issuing his sharp note of warning, and occasionallv 

 darting off to secure a passing insect. When the breeding 

 season is over and the young are able to shift for themselves, 

 he gets over his local attachments and quietly takes his insect 

 fare wherever he can find it, allowing other birds to do the 

 same. 



Genus MYIARCHUS Cabanis. 



176. MYIARCHUS CRINITUS (Linn.). 452. 



Crested Flycatcher. 



Decidedly olivaceous above, a little browner on the head, where the 

 feathers have dark centres ; throat and fore-breast pure dark ash, rest of 

 under-parts bright yellow, the two colors meeting abruptly ; primaries 

 margined on both edges with chestnut ; secondaries and coverts edged and 

 tipped with yellowish-white ; tail, with all the feathers but the central pair, 

 chestnut on the whole of the inner web, excepting, perhaps, a very narrow 

 stripe next the shaft ; outer web of outer feathers edged with yellowish ; the 

 middle feathers, outer webs of the rest, and wings, except as stated, dusky 

 brown. Very young birds have rufous skirting of many feathers, in addition 

 to the chestnut above described, but this soon disappears. Length, Si-g^ ; 

 wing and tail, about 4 ; bill and tarsus, each |. 



Hab. Eastern United States and Southern Canada, west to the Plains, 

 south through Eastern Mexico to Costa Rica. 



Nest, in hollow of trees, sometimes in the deserted hole of a Wood- 

 pecker ; composed of straw, leaves, rootlets and other vegetable materials 



177 



