88 BULLETIN FERGUS COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL 



447. ARKANSAS KINGBIRD. Tyrannus verticalis. 



Quite common at various places along the Judith River, and doubt- 

 less occurring throughout the county in suitable localities, though it has 

 not been observed by the writer in the immediate vicinity of Lewistown. 

 Dr. J. A. Allen, whose itinerary included the Musselshell River on the 

 south-eastern boundary of Fergus county, says of its occurrence: "Ex- 

 ceedingly abundant wherever there is timber, far outnumbering even so 

 common a bird as T. Carol inensis (kingbird), and more numerous than any 

 other tree-nesting species. After the breeding season seen far away from 

 the timber among the sage brush." Dr. Hayden first observed the Arkan- 

 sas kingbird in Montana at <: a point about one hundred miles below Fort 

 Pierre, and thence to the mountains." Capt. Thome reports that the Ar- 

 kansas kingbird is numerous at Ft. Keogh, the kingbird being not as num- 

 erous there as T. verticalis. 



Distinguishing features: Head, neck, and breast bluish gray; wings 

 dark; tail black; lower parts pale yellow; crown with concealed spot of 

 crange-red; length 8-10 inches. 



457. SAY'S PHOEBE. Sayornis saya. 



Early in September, 1900, my attention was called to a "flycatch- 

 er," which had entered, a store in town and contentedly taken up tempo- 

 rary quarters, proving itself a valuable addition to the establishment by 

 feeding greedily on the flies infesting the windows. The bird would sit 

 upon the articles piled on the upper shelves, from which position it would 

 sally out regularly to capture a fly that attracted it. This flycatcher in 

 reality proved to be a Say's phoebe. After about a week's residence in 

 the store, the phoebe disappeared one day, doubtless winging its way to a 

 more congenial winter home. This phoebe is a common summer resident 

 of this region, its habits being very similar to those of the phoebe of more 

 eastern localities. In 1901, the first Say's phoebe was seen in Lewistown 

 en April 12, when it was observed sitting on a fence-post, flitting its tail 

 nervously. It soon flew across a vacant lot, and alighted on another post; 

 at no part of its flight did it rise above the level of the top of vhe fence. 

 The loud, querulous call of this phoebe becomes quite noticeable early in 

 May, when the bulk of the individuals are arriving. 



This phoebe is especially interesting because of its social disposition 

 and its habit of making its nest about our dwellings, even in town. It is, 

 likely to select any convenient nook about the porch or cornices as a site 

 for its home. During the nuptial and nest-building time, the male frequent- 

 ly utters a loud cooing whistle, somewhat similar to the prolonged call 

 of the flicker or "yellow-hammer," but more mellow and musical. The or- 

 dinary call of this phoebe is a loud note resembling the syllable "fear" or 

 sometimes like "fear it," and occasionally "de fear" and "de fear it." The 

 nest is a mass of soft materials like rags, string, moss, lichens, hair and 

 stems. The eggs are white, occasionally marked with specks of blackish 

 brown. 



Distinguishing features : Upper parts brownish gray, with tail dark- 



