PASSERES — MUSCICAPID^E — TYRANNUS. 117 



GENUS TYRANNUS. Vieillot. 



Head distinctly crested, often with a vermilion patch on the summit. Outer quills attenuated 

 towards the ends. 



THE KING-BIRD. 



Tyrannus intrepidus. 

 plate xxxiii. fig. 72. 



(STATE COLLECTION.) 



Lanius tyrannus. Linnaeus, Syst. Nat. 



Tyrannus pipiri et intrepidus. Vieillot, pi. 44. 



Muscicapa tyrannus. Wilson, Am. Orn. Vol. 1, p. 66, pi. 13, fig. 1. Audubon, folio, pi. 79; Orn. Biog. Vol. 



I, p. 403, and Vol. 5, p. 420. 

 King-bird, or Tyrant Flycatcher. Nuttall, Manual Orn. Vol. 1, p. 265. Audubon, B. of A. Vol. 1. p. 204, pi. 56. 

 M. tyrannus, Tyrant Flycatcher. GmAUD,JBirds of Long Island, p. 39. 



Characteristics. Blackish; beneath whitish. Tail nearly even, black, with a terminal 

 band of white. Length, 8-9 inches. 



Description. Bill depressed, wide at the base, gradually tapering to the tip, where it 

 forms a small hook : lower mandible flatly convex. Crest erectile. The two outer quills 

 attenuated at the tip ; second quill longest. Tail nearly even, 1 ' 5 longer than the tips of the 

 closed wings. 



Color. Dark ash above, approaching to black. Head and tail nearly black. When the 

 dark feathers of the head are removed, we observe a bright vermilion spot bordered with 

 yellow. Wings olive brown, bordered with dull white. Beneath pure white, except the 

 breast and under tail-coverts, which are light ash. Bill and feet black. Female, resembles 

 the male, except that the colors above incline to olive brown ; beneath dusky white. 



Length, 8-0-9*0. Alar extent, 14*0- 15-0. 



The King-bird, as it is called in this State, or Field Martin as it is termed elsewhere, is 

 a well known and common species. It winters in Mexico, enters Louisiana about the middle 

 of March, and appears here in the latter part of April or beginning of May. They continue 

 their northward course as far as the 57th parallel of latitude. It spreads over the continent 

 to Columbia river. It leaves us for its winter quarters in September or October, according 

 to the season. Breeds in every part of the State, laying from 4-6 yellowish white eggs 

 with a few spots of deep brown. Feeds on berries and seeds, beetles, canker-worms, and 

 insects of every description. By this, and by his inveterate hostility to rapacious birds, he 

 more than compensates for the few domestic bees with which he varies his repasts. Like the 

 Hawks and Owls, he ejects from his mouth, in the shape of large pellets, all the indigestible 

 parts of insects and berries. 



