258 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. 



« 

 creeper. This is a late flowering plant, and the tiny birds, as 



if loath to leave it, are seen as late as the middle of September rifling 

 it of its SM^eets. 



There are about sixteen different species of Hummingbirds now 

 known as North American, but this is the only one found east of the 

 Mississippi River. Though small, it is very pugnacious, often attack- 

 ing birds much larger than itself who may venture near its nest. On 

 such occasions it j^roduces an angry buzzing sound with its wings, 

 but it has no voice save a weak chirp, like a cricket or grasshopper. 



Order PASSEEES. Perching Birds. 



Suborder CLAMATORES. Songless Perching Birds. 



Family TYRANNIC^. Tyrant Flycatchers. 



Genus MILVULUS Swainson. 



MILVULUS FORFICATUS (Gmel.). 



184. Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, (443) 



First primary alone emargiuate ; crown patch, orange or scarlet ; general 

 color, hoary ash, paler or white below, sides at the insertion of the wings scarlet 

 or blood-red, and other parts of the body tinged with the same, a shade paler ; 

 wings, blackish, generally with whitish edgings ; tail, black, several outer 

 feathers extensively white or rosy. Wing, about 4^ ; tail, over 12 inches long. 



Hab. — Texas and Indian Territory, casually north to Kansas and Missouri ; 

 south to Central America. Accidental in Virginia, New Jersey, New England, 

 Manitoba, and at York Factorj% Hudson Bay. 



Nest, like the Kingbirds'. 



Eggs, four or five, white, blotched with reddish and lilac shell-spots. 



The home of this beautiful bird is in Texas, but it is evidently 

 much given to wandering, appearing unexpectedly at points far 

 distant from its usual habitat. 



The first record I have of its occurrence in Ontario is furnished 

 by Dr. Gamier, of Lucknow, Bruce County, who reports having seen 

 one near his place some years ago. He had no means of securing 

 the bird, but saw it by the roadside as he drove past, opening and 

 closing its tail feathers with the usual scissor-like motion. 



Dr. Bell, of the Geological Survey, speaking of birds which he 

 occasionally found far from their usual habitat, says : " The most 

 singular discovery in regard to geographical distribution is the finding 



