00 Synopsis of the. Birds 



Bill moderate, robust, subtrigonal, depressed, with elon- 

 gated bristles at base ; upper mandible inflected at tip, 

 notched; lower shorter, somewhat flattened beneath, straight, 

 or a little recurved at tip: nostrils basal, lateral, rounded, 

 patulous, partly covered by the bristles : tongue depressed, 

 ciliated at tip. Feet rather short, slender; tarsus equal, or 

 rather longer than the middle toe ; inner toe free, or united 

 only at base : nails acute, moderate; hind nail more incurved 

 than the others, larger than that of the middle toe. Wings 

 rather long, subacute, the spurious feather short or wanting; 

 second and third, or third and fourth primaries longest. 

 Tail rather long. 



Young differ from the adult only during the first year. 

 Some moult once, others twice a year ; after the second 

 moult the male assumes the humble dress of the female. 

 Females of those that moult once a year, similar to their males. 

 Taciturn ; solitary ; untameable. Perch on the highest 

 branches of trees, whence they watch for insects ; pursuing 

 chiefly diptera, and taking them on the wing with great agility; 

 seldom descend to the ground. Build in woods. Widely 

 distributed over the globe : abounding most where insects 

 are most numerous, and, by preventing their excessive in- 

 crease, may be considered as benefactors of man. Migratory 

 in temperate and cold regions. 



* Larger sptcics. (Tyranni of authors.) 



Bold ; attacking and driving victoriously from their nests 

 the most powerful birds of prey. 



76. Muscicap* TVRWNfs, Briss. Blackish, beneath whitish; 

 tail even, black, tipped with white. 



Adult, a fulvous spot on the crown. Young without the spot. 



Tyrant Flycatcher, or King Bud, Muscicapa tyr annus, 

 WHs. Jim. Orn. ii. p. 67. pi. is. fig. \. 



Inhabits during summer throughout the United States : 

 common. 



