TYRANNID^ — THE FLYCATCHERS. 



311 



red-brown. They are of an oblong-oval shape, are tapering at one end, and 

 measure .90 by .68 of an inch. 



Milvulus forflcatus, Swain. 



SCISSOR-TAIL ; SWALLOW-TAIL FLYCATCHER. 



Muscicapa forficata, Gmelin, Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 931. — Vieillot, Ois. Am. Sept. I, 1807, 

 71. — Stephens, in Shaw's Zool. X, ii, 413, pi. iii. — Bonap. Am. Orn. I, 1825, 15, 

 pi. ii, f. 1. — AuD. Orn. Biog. IV, 1838, 426, pi. ccclix, f. 3. Ti/runnus forjicatns. Say, 

 Long's Exped., II, 1823, 224. — Nuttall's Manual, I, (2d ed.,) 1840, 309. Milvulus 

 forficatus, "Swains." Rich. List, 1837. — Audubon, Synopsis, 1839, 38. — Ib. Birds 

 Am. I, 1840, 197, pi. liii. — Caban. Mus. Hein. II, 79. — Scl. List, 1862, 237. — 

 Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 169. — Ib. Mex. B. II, Zool. 7. — Heerm. X, c. p. IL 

 Tyrannus mcxicaims, Stephens, Shaw, Gen. Zool. Birds, XIII, ii, 1826, 135. Mou- 

 cherolle a queue fourchue du Mexique, BuFFON, pi. enl. 677. Bird of Paradise of the 

 Texans. 



Sp. Char. Wing with the outer primary only abruptly attenuated, and narrowly 

 linear (for about .85 of an inch) ; the 

 second but slightly eraarginate ; second 

 quill longest; first and third equal. Tail 

 very deeply forked, the lateral feathers 

 twice as long as the body, all narrow 

 and linear or subspatulate. Top and 

 sides of the head very pale ash ; the 

 back a little darker, and faintly tinged 

 with light brick-red ; under parts nearly 

 pure white, tinged towards the tail with 

 light vermilion, rather more rose on the 

 under wing-coverts ; a patch on the side 

 of the breast and along the fore-arm 

 dark vermilion-red. Tail-feathers rosy 

 white, tipped at the end for two or three 

 inches with black. Eump dark brown, 

 turning to black on the coverts. Wings 

 very dark brown; the coverts and quills, 

 excepting the primaries (and including 

 the outer of these), edged with whitish. 

 Crown with a concealed patch of white, 

 having some orange-red in the centre. 

 Length, 13.00; wing, 4.75; tail, 8.50; 

 depth of fork, 5.80. 



Hab. Middle America, from Panama 

 northward ; prairies and oak barrens of Texas, Indian Territory, and occasionally South- 

 west Missouri and Kansas. Accidental in Eastern States (New Jersey, Turnbull ; District 

 of Columbia? Coues) ; Xalapa (Scl. 1857, 204); Guatemala (Scl. Ibis, I, 121; Mus. S. 

 L); Honduras (Scl. IT, 114); Costa Rica (Caban. J., 1861, 252); Vera Cruz, hot and 

 temperate regions (Sum. M. B. S. I, 556). 



This exquisitely beautiful and graceful bird is quite abundant on the 

 prairies of Southern Texas, and is everywhere conspicuous among its kindred 



Mihmhrs forficatus. 



