.S76 I'm-: ASII-IIIROATEI) l-I.VC.m"llEK. 



IJcauliis iliey arc ti>«», creamy white witli l)ii|(l and liaiulsome s|)<>t.s of dicstmit 

 in two shacles, and lilac-gray. Incubation is acconiplisJK'd in twelve or tliirteen 

 days, and the youngsters tly in a matter of two weeks. 



These Kingbirds are mi>del parents, devoted in brooding and courageous 

 in defense. Noisy tliey are to a fault, gxirrulous in an unnumbered iiost of 

 cajolatives and ccstalics, as well as expletives. I'niike tlie members of 

 7'yrainttis tyrainiiis. tliey are good ncighlxirs even anmng tlieir own kind. .\t 

 the call of neeil neighbors rally to the common defense, but this is usually in 

 villages where demesnes ailjoin. On several occasions I liave fouml other 

 birds nesting ])eaceably in the same tree with tiie.se Kingbirds; and. as in the 

 case of '/'. lyruniiiis, Bullock Orioles ajjpear to be rather |)articular friends. 



The nests shown in the cut on prece<ling Jiage are the work of one ])air 

 of birds. Knibarrassed by a wealth nf string and unable to decide which oi 

 two good locations to utilize, the birds built in both; the female laid eggs in 

 IxJth, three in one and two in the other. Moreover, she sat in Iwth. tlay and 

 (lav about, a bird of a divided mind. 



No. 144. 

 ASH-I'11R()\ IHI) I LVC'ATCllKR. 



.\. < >. I'. Nil. 454. .M>iarclius cincrasccns 1 Lawrence 1. 



Description. — Adults: .\l)ovc dull grayish brown changing to clear brown 

 on crown : wings dusky brown, the middle and greater coverts tipjied broadly, and 

 the secoufiaries edged with pale butTy brown or dull whitish, the primaries edged, 

 e.xccpt toward tips, with cinnanioii-rufous ; tail darker than back, with |)aler 

 grayish brf)wn edgings, that of outermost rectrix sometimes nearly while: tail 

 feathers, except central pair, chiefly cinnamon-rufous on inner webs; sides of head 

 and neck gray (slightly tinged with brown) fading into much ]>aler gray on chin, 

 throat, and chest, changing to pale yellowish on breast and remaining iniderparts; 

 vellf>w of under])arts strengthening posteriorly, and axillars and under wing- 

 coverts clear (|irimrose) yellow. Hill blackish: feet and legs black: iris brown. 

 Length of adult male alKUU 8.35 (212) : wing ,V'>4 ( 100 » : tail 3.63 (y2) : bill .75 

 I i<)t : tarsus .i>i ( 23 ). 



Recognition Marks. — Chewink size: brownish gray al)ove ; ashy throat 

 shacling into (lalc yellow of remaining un<lerparts. 



Nesting. — Scst: a natural cavity or deserted Flicker hole, copiously lined 

 with wof>l. hair, or other soft materials. B(j;7s: 3-6, usually 4, huffy or creamy as 

 to ground, but heavily marked, chiefly in curious lengthwise jiattern. with >;treaks 

 of puq)lish chestmit of several degrees of intensity. .Xv. size, .88 x .^5 ( 22.4 x 

 16.5). Season: first week in June; one brood. 



