TYRANNIDAE 4/5 



the tail a white tip. Taenioptera dominicana, of South -East 

 Brazil and Argentina, is white with the wings and tail mainly 

 black ; Cnipolegus unicolor of Upper Amazonia is uniform black. 

 Tyrants are active and restless birds, chiefly met with near 

 rivers or marshes, where they are constantly seen sitting alone 

 on the branches of trees, bushes, dead thistles, and giant pampas- 

 grasses, or more rarely, as in the Chat-like Muscisaxicola, on 

 clods and boulders ; thence they dart, like Flycatchers, upon 

 their prey. Centrites frequents bare plains and loves the ground ; 

 Serpopliaga and Sayornis haunt streams, and flirt the tail like a 

 Wagtail ; Fluvicola, Alectrurus, and Cyanotis inhabit reed-beds, and 

 climb about the bending stems in Tit-like fashion ; the Taeniop- 

 terinae are mainly terrestrial, and often form flocks, Myiotheretes 

 running and flying like a Thrush, and even accompanying 

 bands of Plovers ; Machetornis searches the backs of cattle for 

 insects, and dusts itself like a Lark. Many members of the 

 family are decidedly shy, but the majority are otherwise, and 

 in especial the Tyranninae, which are excessively bold and pugna- 

 cious when breeding, attacking even the Carrion-Hawk (Milvago\ 

 and bullying their smaller relatives. In a fair number of species the 

 sexes are usually observed apart ; in others they are as invariably 

 in company. The range extends to ten thousand feet or more in 

 the Andes, Muscisaxicola macloviana being found at that altitude, 

 as well as down to the sea-coast in Patagonia ; while in some cases 

 semi-migratory movements take place at certain times of year. 

 The powers of wing are commonly great, especially in the agile 

 King-bird and its congeners ; Taenioptera and Agriornis can fly as 

 well as hop ; Centrites, though of terrestrial habits, moves swiftly 

 or circles easily in the air ; Pitangus and Empidonax minimus 

 quarter the ground for food with undulating movements. Pyro- 

 cepJialus rubineus soars with upraised vibrating wings to a 

 considerable height, with many a rise and fall ; Alectrurus tricolor 

 goes slowly and vertically up with rapid pulsations of the pinions, 

 and then comes slanting down ; while the graceful Scissor-tail 

 (Milvulus) twists and turns about in the air, alternately opening 

 and shutting its long forked rectrices, or whirling aloft at will to 

 dart earthwards again like a rocket. The usual note is shrill, 

 piercing, and often harsh or angry, as in Tyrannus, Myiarchus, and 

 Machetornis ; it is loud, grating, and rarely mellow, in Pitangus 

 and Cylernetes ; a low plaintive whistle or pipe is uttered by 



