TYKANNIDJE — THE TYRANT FLYCATCHERS. 315 



the first iiriiiiary sliorter tliiin the sixtli. Head with elongated laneeolato distinrt feath- 

 ers. Ahove brownish olive, throat ash, belly yellow. Tail and wing feathers varied 

 with rufous. {Hist. X. A in. II.) 



This geuus is one of the most strongly marked in the entire 

 family. This species are of exceptionally irritable, jnionacious dis- 

 position, continually quarreling among themselves, and during the 

 breeding-season, attacking all larger birds which approach the vi- 

 cinity of the nest. The latter is placed within holes in trees, and 

 the eggs are remarkable for the fine and intricate pencilings of 

 various rich shades of brown upon a creamy ground. In fact they 

 are among the most striking in their color and markings of all 

 bird's eggs. 



A single species {M. crinitiis) inhabits eastern North America, 

 another {M. cinerascens) replacing it in the west. 



Myiarchus crinitus (Linn.) 



CKESTED FLYCATCHER. 



Popular synonyms. Great yellow-bellied Flyeateher: Great crested Flycatcher. 



Muscicapa crinita Lixx. S. N. ed. 12.1,1766.325.— Wils. Am. Orn. ii, 181U,75,pl. 13, fig. 2.— 

 NUTT. Man. 1,1832.271.— AUD. Orn. Biog. ii, 1834.176; v. 18S9. 423,pl. 129; Synop. 1839,40; 

 B.Am. 1.18411.209, pi. 57. 



Tyrannus crinitus Sw. 1820.— NuTT. Man.2d ed. 1840..^02. 



Myiarctnis crinitus Cab. 1855.— Baikd. B. N. Am. 1858.128; Cat. N. Am. B. 1859. No. 130. 

 —ConES, Key, 1872. 171; Cheek List, 1874, No. 247; 2d ed. 1882, No. 373; B. N. W. 1874, 

 238.— B. B. & R. Hist. N. Am. B. ii.l874.3.'H.pl. 43, llg. 3.-Ridgw. Xom. N. Am. B. 

 1881, No. 312. 



Hab. Eastern United States and British Provinces, but rare northeastward beyond 

 the Conneotieut valley; west to the edge of the Great Plains. In winter. Guatemala, and 

 south to Costa Kiea; CubaV 



"Sp. Chak. Head with a depressed crest. Third auill longest; fourth and second 

 successively but little shorter; first a little longer than seventh; much shorter than, 

 sixth. Tail decidedly rounded orevcn graduated; the lateral feathers about .25 of an incli 

 shorter. Upper parts dull greenish olive, with the feathers of the crown and to some 

 extent of the back showing their brown centres; upper tail-coverts turning to pale 

 rusty brown. Some feathers at the base of the bill. lores, sides of the head as high as 

 the upper eyelid, sides ofthe neck, throat, and forepart of the breast, bluish ashy; the 

 rest of the lower parts, including axillaries and lower wing-coverts, bright sulphur-yel- 

 low. A pale ring round the eye. Sides of the breast and body tinged with olivaceous. 

 The wings brown; the first and second rows of coverts, with the secondary and tertial 

 riuills, margined externally with dull white, or on the latter slightly tinged with oliva- 

 ceous yellow. Primaries margined externally for more than half their length from the 

 base with ferruginous; greater portion of the inner webs of all the quills very pale fer- 

 ruginous. The two middle tail-feathers light brown, shafts paler: the rest have the 

 outer web and a narrow line on the inner sides of the shaft brown, pale olivaceous on the 

 outer edge; the remainder ferruginous to the very tip. Outer web of exterior feather 

 dull brownish yellow. Feet black. Bill dark brown above and at the tip below; paler 

 towards the base. Length, 8.75; wing, 4.25; tail, 4.10; tarsus, .85." 



