PEPOAZA TYRANT 139 
manner; but they also occasionally pursue and 
capture insects on the wing, like the typical Tyrant- 
birds that seldom or never alight on the ground. 
They have likewise another and a unique preying 
habit, intermediate between the Plover-like habits 
of Agriornis, Myiotheretes, and Muscisaxicola, and 
the Swallow- or Flycatcher-like habits of the true 
Tyrants. The bird perches itself on an elevation— 
the summit of a stalk or bush, or even of a low tree 
—to watch like a Flycatcher for its insect prey ; only 
instead of looking about for passing insects, it gazes 
intently down at the ground, just as a Kingfisher 
does at the water, and when it spies a beetle or grass- 
hopper darts down upon it, not, however, to snatch 
it up with the bill as other Tyrants do, but it first 
grasps it with its feet, then proceeds to despatch it, 
swaying about and opening its wings to keep its own 
balance, just as an Owl is seen to do when it grasps 
a mouse or other small animal in its claws. After 
devouring the insect on the spot, it flies back to its 
perch to resume its watch. They are very restless, 
active, playful birds, and seldom remain long on one 
spot, apparently finding it irksome to do so; but 
I have seen the T. irupero occupy the same perch 
for hours every day while looking out for insects. 
As an English generic name for this small inter- 
esting group might be useful, I would suggest 
Ground-gazers or Ground-watchers, which describes 
the peculiar preying habit of these birds, 
The Pepoaza is a swift, active, graceful bird, with 
a strong straight beak, hooked at the point, and a 
