BELLICOSE TYRANT 187 



considered the southern limit of its range, it was 

 far from common, two or three pairs being the 

 greatest number I ever met with during a summer 

 season. 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 t 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 Cow-bird's egg in a nest of this species, 

 which makes me think that it is less vigilant and war- 

 like than T. melancholicus. 



This Tyrant is distinguished (in the books) by the 

 longest scientific name bestowed by ornithologists 

 on any South American species. 



BELLICOSE TYRANT 



Tyrannus melancholicus 



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 ; length 8.5 inches. 



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 



