TYRANNID^ — THE FLYCATCHERS. 317 



patch on the crown wanting. The tail more rounded ; the primaries not 

 attenuated. 



Specimens vary in the amount of white margining the wing-feathers ; 

 the upper tail-coverts are also margined sometimes with white. 



Habits. The common Kingbird or Bee Martin of North America is 

 found throughout tlie continent, from Texas and Florida, on the south, as far 

 to the north as tlie 57tli parallel of north latitude. Westward, north of the 

 44th parallel, it is found from the Atlantic to the Pacific, but south of this 

 it has not been found west of the Eocky Mountains. It is included by Dr. 

 Cooper among the birds of California, but I am not aware that it has ever 

 been taken within the limits of that State. Mr. Allen regards the eastern 

 slope of the Kocky Mountains its extreme western limit ; but Mr. Eidg- 

 way states that this species was met witli by him in various portions of the 

 Great Basin, though always in less abundance than the T. vcrticalis. Among 

 the cottonwoods of the Truckee Valley, in Western Nevada, two or three 

 pairs were seen in July and August. In the fertile Salt Lake Valley it was 

 nearly or quite as common as the T. verticalis, and was also met with in the 

 fertile " parks " of the Wahsatch Mountains. 



This species not only has this widely extended area, but is also quite 

 abundant wherever found. It is apparently as abundant throughout Nova 

 Scotia as it is in the State of Florida. Eichardson even found it common on 

 the banks of the Saskatchewan, where he traced its northern migrations 

 beyond the 57th parallel of latitude. It was found at the Carlton House 

 early in May, and retired southward in September. It winters in Central 

 and South America, and lias been received by Mr. Lawrence from Panama. 



Dr. Suckley found this species quite plentiful at the eastern base of the 

 Eocky Mountains, in Washington Territory, and more sparingly at Paget 

 Sound, where he obtained several specimens. They appeared to shun the 

 dense forests near Puget Sound, but were moderately plentiful in the groves 

 of low oaks, and among the cottonwood-trees fringing the lakes on Nisqually 

 Plains, where, August 5, he obtained a nest with newly fledged young. 



Mr. Joseph Leyland found this species near Omoa, in Honduras, migra- 

 tory. They came in flocks of two or three hundred, but remained only a 

 short time before departing farther south. They flew high, and seemed very 

 wild. This species was also met with, in May, at Playa Vicente, in the low 

 lands of the State of Oaxaca, Mexico, by Mr. Boucard, and during the win- 

 ter months is found throughout Mexico. 



No one of our common birds possesses more strongly marked characteris- 

 tics of manners and habits than this species. Its pugnacious disposition 

 during the breeding-season, the audacious boldness with which it will attack 

 any birds larger than itself, the persistent tenacity with which it will con- 

 tinue these attacks, and the reckless courage with which it will maintain its 

 unequal warfare, are well-known peculiarities of this interesting and familiar 

 species. Its name, Kingbird, is given it on the supposition that it is supe- 



