LITTLE CRESTED GREY TYRANT 169 



slender in form, with a long tail, its total length being 

 six inches. The sexes are alike in colour ; the upper 

 parts are yellowish grey, breast and belly light yellow. 

 They are found living in pairs, all the year round, 

 in thorn bushes, and are scarcely ever seen to rest, 

 but hop incessantly from twig to twig, in a delicate 

 leisurely manner, seeking on the leaves for the 

 minute caterpillars and other insects on which they 

 live. While thus engaged they utter a variety of 

 little chirping and twittering notes, as if conversing 

 together, and occasionally the two birds unite their 

 voices in a shrill impetuous song. 



LITTLE CRESTED GREY TYRANT 



Serpophaga subcristata 



Above cinereous, usually with a slight olivaceous tinge on the 

 rump ; crest-feathers white at their bases, tipped with cinereous, and 

 slightly varied with black ; wings blackish, wing-coverts tipped with 

 whitish, forming two handsome bands ; outer secondaries externally 

 margined with the same colour ; tail dark ashy ; beneath ashy white, 

 with more or less yellowish tinge on the belly and under wing-coverts ; 

 bill horn-colour ; feet black ; length 4.5 inches. 



THIS species is one of the smallest members of 

 our TyrannidSf its total length being only four 

 and a half inches. The sexes are alike ; the upper 

 plumage is grey, with a greenish tinge on the 

 back; the breast paler grey, becoming pale yellow 

 on the belly. There is a white concealed spot 

 under the loose feathers of the crown. 



