312 NORTH AMKUirAX BIRDS. 



s]»ooi'os. It is usually known as tlu; Scissor-tail from the lialut of closin«» 

 and t»iM'nin.Lj the Inii^ icathers of the tail likt^ tiic blailcs of a puir of scissors. 

 Tho adult fcnialu is very similar, tliou'di rather smaller. The vounj; is not 

 conspicuously ditHn'nt, only lacking' tlie concealed patch of the head. 



II Ai'.ii's. The SwaHow-tailed Flycatcher api)ears to he a common spcuics 

 from Crntral 'JVxas to the llio (Irande, and thence throughout Mexico to 

 Central America, as far soutli at least as (Juateniahi. It is also found in 

 the Indian Territory, where it hreeds, specimens of the nest and eggs having 

 heen ohtained at the Kioway Agency hy Dr. K. Palnuir. 



It was found very plentiful at Langui, in Honduras, hy Mr. (I. C. Taylor, 

 and also in fewer numl)ers in other localities. In the evening, just hefore 

 roosting time, they were in the hahit of assembling on the tops of certain 

 liivorite trees, where they remained until nearly dark. They then all went 

 oil to the woods. He generally met with thorn ou oimi ground, not much 

 encumU'red hy tii'es or brushwood. 



Mr. Oresser states that he found this very graceful bird quite abundant at 

 Matamoras and in Western Texas, where it is known by the name of 

 "Texan liird of Taradise." He found it as far east as the river (iuadaloui>e. 

 It arrives, he states, in the neighborhood of San Antonio, late in March, and 

 remains until the middle or latter end of C)ctol)er. It breeds al)undantly 

 near San Antonio, buihling its nest in a niescpiite or other tree, and lays 

 from three to four eggs, whidi, as he states, are pure white, blotched with 

 large spots of a dark red crdor. 



He adds that these Ijirds are of a quarrelsome and fearless disposition, 

 rarely brooking intrudci-s near their homes. During the breeding-season 

 Mr. Dresser has often, when tmvelling, sto])ped to admire four or five of 

 them fightinLj on the wing. They show their long tail-feathers and the 

 rich .scarlet color under their wings to the fullest advantage. After j»assing 

 (luadaloupe IJiver, he saw none of these birds to the eastward, though he 

 was told they have occasionally l>een seen on (Jab eston Island. 



This Flycatcher was met with at F^agle I'ass, in Lower Texas, and in 

 Tamaulipas by Mr. Clark and Lieutenant Couch, in the Mexican Jioundary 

 Survey. None were found occurring west of the valley of the Itio Pecos. 

 Mr. Clark states that he always saw them either following' one another 

 through the air, or perched upon some solitary twig. In their gyrations tlie 

 scissors were always more or less expanded, suggesting the idea of bal- 

 ancers. Their nests were built of sticks, lined on the inside, though not 

 very softly, Mith grass, and were placed almost invariably on dry iind)S 

 of the mes(|uite. They contained from three to five eggs, and, what was 

 quite remarkable, more than one pair always seemed to have an interest in 

 tlie same nest, over which they were all very watchful, and gave proofs of 

 their courage by darting at the intruders. He describes their notes as short 

 and sharp, without much variation, and they can be heard at quite a distance. 

 The Mexicans imagine that this Flycatcher lives on the brains of other birds. 



