SCARLET TYRANT 185 
nest, as he is extremely vigilant and violent in repel- 
ling intruders. But his vigilance at times avails not ; 
the subtle bird has watched and waited till, seizing 
a moment when the little Scarlet Tyrant is off his 
guard, she drops her surreptitious egg into his nest. 
When this happens, the Churinches immediately for- 
sake their nest. The nest is sometimes lined with 
feathers, but usually with thistle-down; the eggs 
are four, pointed, and spotted at the broad end with 
black; usually each egg has also a few large grey 
spots. The young are at first grey, marked with pale 
rufous, but soon become entirely grey, like the 
female. In about a month’s time the belly of the 
males begins to assume a pale mauve-red; this 
spreads upwards towards the breast and throat ; 
and finally the crest also takes on this colour. The 
Churinches raise two broods in a season—but if the 
nest is destroyed, will lay as many as four times. 
The Scarlet Tyrant is the first of our summer 
visitors to leave us. As early as the end of January 
and so soon as the young of the second brood are 
able to feed themselves, the adults disappear. Their 
going is not gradual, but they all vanish at once. 
The departure of all other migratory species takes 
place after a very sensible change in the temperature ; 
but at the end of January the heat is unmitigated— 
it is in fact often greater than during December. 
When the adults have gone, the silent young birds 
remain. Within a month’s time the sexes of these 
may be distinguished. After another month the males 
begin to sing, and are frequently seen pursuing one 
