260 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. 



distributed, each pair taking 2JOSsessioii of a certain "limit," which 

 is vahantly defended against all intruders, no bird, however large,. 

 being permitted to come with impunity near wheie the Kingbirds 

 treasures are deposited. It is partial to pasture fields, a favorite 

 perch being the top of a dry mullein stalk. Here the male sits like 

 a sentinel, issuing his sharp note of warning, and occasionally darting 

 off to secure a passing insect. When the breeding is over and the 

 young are able to shift for themselves, he gets over his local attach- 

 ments and quietly takes his insect fare wherever he can find it, 

 allowing other birds to do the same. 



The food of this species consists almost entirely of insects, which 

 it takes while on the wing. It may be considered a friend of the 

 farmer, for although it does take a few bees now and then, it more 

 than compensates for these by the large number of injurious insects 

 which it destroys. 



The contents of the twelve stomachs examined by Dr. King, of 

 Wisconsin, were as follows : — Four had eaten seventeen beetles ; 

 foiir, four dragon flies ; one, a bee ; one, six crane flies ; one, a large 

 moth ; one, a butterfly ; and three, a few raspberries. 



It is common throughout Manitoba and the North-West, retiring- 

 south when its supply of food is cut off by the advance of the season. 



Genus MYIARCHUS Cabanis. 

 MYIARCHUS CRINITU8 (Linn.). 



186. Crested Flycatcher. (452) 



Decidedly olivaceous above, a little browner on the liead, where tlie 

 feathers have dark centres ; throat and fore-breast, pure dark ash, rest of 

 under parts, bright yellow, the two colors meeting abruptly ; primaries- 

 margined on both edges with chestnut ; secondaries and coverts, edged and 

 tipped with yellowish-white ; tail, with all the feathers but the central ])air, 

 chestnut on the whole of the inner web, excepting, perhaps, a very nari'ow 

 stripe next the shaft ; outer web of outer feathers, edged with yellowish ; the 

 middle feathers, outer webs of the rest, and wings, except as stated, dusky 

 brown. Very young birds have rufous skirting of many feathers, in addition, 

 to the chestnut above described, but this soon disappears. Length, 8i-9A ; 

 wing and tail, about 4 ; bill and tarsus, each g. 



Hab. — Eastern United States and Southern Canada, west to the Plains, 

 south through Eastern Mexico to Costa Rica. 



