Vol. XXI 

 1904 



J Von Ihering, Biology of the Tyrannidce. 3 I S 



branch only and we have the suspended nest of Euscarthitius. A 

 very remarkable form of suspended nest among the Tyrannidae 

 occurs in the genus Rhynchocyclus, but I believe it to be nothing 

 more than an extreme modification of the Euscarthmine nest type. 

 In this respect it is remarkable that the much bristled and flat- 

 tened bill of Rhynchocydus is very like that of Platyrhync/ius, and 

 quite different from that of the typical ElainecE. 



Although the predominant form of nest among the Tyrannidae 

 is certainly the cup-shaped one, we meet also with very different 

 structures in this family. Covered nests occur in the genera 

 Fhylloscartes, Arundhiicola, Pitangus, and Myiozeietes, leading us 

 on to the nest of Onuthio?i above described, and to the suspended 

 nests of Eiiscarthmus and Rhynchocycbis. According to Euler 

 Myiobius barbatus has a suspended, purse-shaped nest, while the 

 nest of Alyiobius tice^niis is cup-shaped, but is fixed suspended 

 within the fork of two diverging branches in the manner typical 

 of the nests of Thamnophilus and other Formicariidai. On the 

 other hand we find nests of very slight structure made of a small 

 number of slender sticks and roots in the genera Tyratinus^ E?npi- 

 donomiis, Afyiodytiastes, Megarhyiichus, and others. These nests 

 are extremely flat and apparently not well suited to retain the eggs 

 in safety. 



Among the T.neniopterinje, inhabitants of the open plains, there 

 are species which breed in holes in banks, as is said to be the case 

 in Argentina with Tcenioptera iiengeta by Mr. Hudson, while in 

 Brazil this species builds its nest on trees. The species of Copu- 

 rus and Machetornis breed in holes of trees, as also does Tce7iiop- 

 tera irupero. The last-named species likes to appropriate the large 

 covered mud-nests of Enniarius, and Machetornis prefers the 

 large thorny nests of Anumbius. Thus we see among the Tyran- 

 nidae the most different forms of nest structures represented. 



In general the nests of species that inhabit the woods are well 

 built, and covered carefully with dry plant material in order to 

 be well hidden. Some of them, such as that of Elainea, are true 

 masterpieces of art, being generally ornamented externally with 

 pieces of lichen carefully fixed on by spiders' webs. On the other 

 hand, the Taeniopterinse and Tyrannidae, inhabitants of the pam- 

 pas and campos, contrary to what would be expected, take little 



