TYRANNID^ — THE FLYCATCHERS. 319 



England early in May, and leave for the South in September. They nest 

 in May, selecting an upper branch, usually of an isolated tree, and often in 

 an exposed situation. Their nests are large, broad, and comparatively slial- 

 low, and coarsely, though strongly, made of rude materials, such as twigs, 

 withered plants, bits of rags, strings, etc. These are lined with fine rootlets, 

 horse-hair, and fine grasses. 



The Kingbiixl has no song, but, instead, utters an incessant monotonous 

 succession of twitterings, which vary in sharpness and loudness with the 

 emotions that prompt them. 



The flight of the Kingbird when on the hunt for insects is peculiar and 

 characteristic. It flies slowly over the field, with rapid vibrations of the 

 wings, in the manner of Hawks, and soars or seems to float in the air in 

 a manner equally similar. At other times it flies with great rapidity, and 

 dives about in the air in the manner of a Swallow. It also exhibits great 

 power and rapidity of flight when rushing forth to encounter a Hawk or 

 an Eagle. 



As they are known occasionally to plunge into the water, and, emerging 

 thence, to resume their seat on a high branch, to dry and dress their plumage, 

 it has been conjectured that they feed on small fish, but this is unsupported 

 by any positive evidence. 



Though the Kingbird usually builds in trees, it does not always select such 

 situations. In the summer of 1851, passing over a bridge near the village 

 of Aylesford, in Nova Scotia, I observed a Kingbird fly from a nest built on 

 the projecting end of one of the planks of which the bridge was made. So 

 remarkably exposed a position, open to view, and on a level with and within 

 a few feet of a highway, must be quite unusual. 



The eggs of this bird are five, sometimes six, in number, and vary con- 

 siderably in size. Their ground-color is white with a more or less decided 

 roseate tinge, beautifully spotted with blotches and markings of purple, 

 brown, and red-brown. In some, these are disposed in a confluent crown 

 around the larger end ; in others they are irregularly distributed over the 

 entire egg. In length they vary from 1.05 to .86 of an inch, and in breadth 

 from .72 to .70 of an inch. 



Tyrannus dominieensis, Eich. 



GRAY KINGBIRD. 



Tyrannus dominieensis, Brisson, Ois. II, 1760, 394, pi. xxxviii. fig. 2. — Rich. List, 1837. 

 — Baikd, Birds N. Am. 1858, 172. Lanius tyrannus, var. /3, dominieensis, Gmelik, 

 Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 302. Muscieapa dominieensis, AuD. Orn. Biog. II, 1834, 392, pi. 

 xlvi. — Ib. Birds Am. I, 1840, 201, pi. Iv. Melittarclius dominieensis, Cabanis, Jour- 

 nal fiir Ornith. Ill, Nov. 1855, 478. Tyrannus griseus, Vieillot, Ois. Am. Sept. I, 

 1807, 76, pi. xlvi. — SwAiNsoN, Men. Shrikes, Quart. Jour. XX, 1826, 276. — Bp. 

 Consp. 1850, 192 (Bonaparte makes two species). — ScL. List, 1862, 236. Tyrannus 

 matuiinus, Vieill. De La Sagra, pi. xiv. 



