158 TYRANNIDJS. 



with a very slight yellow tinge on the crissum ; bill and feet black : whole 

 length 6-5 inches, wing 3-8, tail 3-1. Female similar, but outer primaries 

 less acuminated. 



Hab. Interior of Brazil, Eastern Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina down 

 to Buenos Ayres. 



Alcide d'Orbigny met with this fine species in Corrientes, and Dr. 

 Burmeister in Entrerios, and again near Mendoza. In the neighbour- 

 hood of Concepcion Mr. Barrows speaks of it as a " not very abundant 

 summer resident, but one not easily overlooked, owing to its habit of 

 perching on the topmost twig of any tree on which it alights, making 

 forays from time to time, when tempted by its winged prey." 



In the vicinity of Buenos Ayres likewise this Tyrant is not a common 

 species. Like other birds of its genus it has an easy, rapid flight, and 

 perches on trees or other elevated places, from which it occasionally 

 makes a dash at passing insects. The nest, as in T. melancholicus, is a 

 very slight structure of slender sticks, and the eggs are four, parchment 

 colour, and spotted at the large end with dark brown or chocolate. 

 Mr. Barrows found a CowbmTs egg in a nest of this species, which 

 makes me think that it is less vigilant and warlike than T. melan- 

 cholicus. 



170. TYRANNUS MELANCHOLICUS, Vieill. 

 (MELANCHOLY TYRANT.) 



Tyrannus melancholicus, Burm. La-Plata Reise, ii. p. 452; 6W. et Salv. 

 Nomenel. p. 53 ; Durnford, Ibis, 1877, p. 178 (Buenos Ayres) ; White, 

 P. Z. S. 1882, p. 608 (Salta) ; Sorrow*, Bull. Nutt. Orn. Cl. vol. viii. p. 202 

 (Entrerios). 



Description. Above grey with a slight greenish tinge ; head with a concealed 

 vertical crest of scarlet and yellow ; lores and ear-coverts blackish ; wings and 

 tail brownish black with more or less of paler margins ; beneath yellow, throat 

 greyish white, breast more or less greyish, under wing-coverts pale yellow ; bill 

 and feet black ; outer primaries attenuated ; tail deeply forked : whole length 

 8-5 inches, wing 4-6, tail 4O. Female similar. 



Hab. Mexico and Central and South America down to Buenos 

 Ayres. 



The violent and bold temper exhibited by most Tyrant-birds during 

 the breeding-season, a quality from which is derived the name of the 

 family, is perhaps carried to a greater degree in this species than in 

 any other ; and when one spends many days or weeks in the marshy, 

 littoral forests, where the bird is most abundant, and hears its incessant 



