VII TYRANNIDAE 475 
the tail a white tip. Zaenioptera dominicana, of South-East 
Brazil and Argentina, is white with the wings and tail mainly 
black ; Cnipolegus unicolor of Upper Amazonia is uniform black. 
Tyrants are active and restless birds, chiefly met with near 
rivers or marshes, where they are constantly seen sitting alone 
on the branches of trees, bushes, dead thistles, and giant pampas- 
grasses, or more rarely, as in the Chat-like Juscisaxicola, on 
clods and boulders; thence they dart, like Flycatchers, upon 
their prey. Centrites frequents bare plains and loves the ground ; 
Serpophaga and Sayornis haunt streams, and flirt the tail hke a 
Waetail; Muvicola, Alectrurus, and Cyanotis inhabit reed-beds, and 
climb about the bending stems in Tit-like fashion: the Taeniop- 
terinae are mainly terrestrial, and often form flocks, IWyiotheretes 
running and flying lke a Thrush, and even accompanying 
bands of Plovers; Machetornis searches the backs of cattle for 
insects, and dusts itself like a Lark. Many members of the 
family are decidedly shy, but the majority are otherwise, and 
in especial the Tyranninae, which are excessively bold and pugna- 
cious when breeding, attacking even the Carrion-Hawk (J/i/vagqo), 
and bullying their smaller relatives. Ina fair number of species the 
sexes are usually observed apart ; in others they are as invariably 
in company. The range extends to ten thousand feet or more in 
the Andes, Muscisaxicola macloviana being found at that altitude, 
as well as down to the sea-coast in Patagonia; while in some cases 
semi-migratory movements take place at certain times of year. 
The powers of wing are commonly great, especially in the agile 
King-bird and its congeners; 7aenioptera and Agriornis can fly as 
well as hop; Centrites, though of terrestrial habits, moves swiftly 
or circles easily in the air; Pitangus and Hmpidonax minimus 
quarter the ground for food with undulating movements.  Pyro- 
cephalus rubineus soars with upraised vibrating wings to a 
considerable height, with many a rise and fall; Alectrurus tricolor 
goes slowly and vertically up with rapid pulsations of the pinions, 
and then comes slanting down; while the graceful Scissor-tail 
(Milvulus) twists and turns about in the air, alternately opening 
and shutting its long forked rectrices, or whirling aloft at will to 
dart earthwards again like a rocket. The usual note is shrill, 
piercing, and often harsh or angry, as in 7yrannus, Myiarchus, and 
Machetornis ; it is loud, grating, and rarely mellow, in Pitangus 
and Cybernetes ; a low plaintive whistle or pipe is uttered by 
