Older PASSEEES. 



Family TYRAKNID^. 



TYRANNUS TYRANNUS (L.). (444.) 



KINGBIRD. 



Everywhere one may go in this State he is sure of seeing the 

 kingbird, as he is abundantly represented in all sections from 

 about the first of May until the tenth of September. A few 

 occasionally linger a little later. The males arrive in spring 

 some ten days before the females, in parties of five or six. The 

 females come more numerously but more slyly. No time is to 

 be lost after they arrive in this latitude, so that unions for the 

 summer are hastily made, and the selection of a place where 

 to build the nest at once commenced upon. This decided, 

 which takes considerable time occasionally, the nest is soon 

 made, both working at it constantly until completed. It is var- 

 iously placed upon the wild plum trees, the corner of the log 

 stable, in an alder, on a stump. It consists of twigs, roots, 

 coarse grasses, mosses and weeds, and is lined with fine roots, 

 grasses and horse hair. About the 28th of May the eggs are 

 laid, and when the young birds open their five little mouths 

 the parents have lively work to keep them supplied until able 

 to secure food for themselves. The ground color of the eggs 

 is a delicate creamy white, with irregular spots of various 

 shades of brown and lavender. 



The kingbird is a typical fly-catcher, seizing his food when 

 on the wing, which of course consists mostly of insects in 

 flight. 



It has been remarked of this species, as of all the true fly- 

 catchers, that it seems to have been their special mission to 

 sieze only those insects which are in passage from one tree or 

 shrub to another, while the task of taking those which are con- 

 cealed in hidden places like the bark and foliage, is assigned 



