AVERY BIRD COLLECTION 67 



Hummingbirds were recorded as abundant in Baldwin 

 County, Sept. 16-Oct. 2, 1892. 



No. 560. Female. Greensboro. Aug. 11, 1890. W. C. Avery. 



No Female. No data. 



No Male. No data. 



103. TYRANNUS TYRANNUS (Linnseus). 



KINGBIRD. 

 "Bee Martin." "Bee-Bvrd." 



The first mention found of this species is under date of 

 June 9, 1876, when Dr. Avery entered in his journal, as 

 No. 15, an adult male taken at Greensboro. He writes: 



"Stomach contained insects alone. A most useful bird 

 although he destroys a few bees. Who knows how many 

 thousands of cotton flies this active little bird may de- 

 stroy? His wings being formed for rapid and powerful 

 flight, he seems to be the terror of carnivorous birds, at 

 least of the heavier and more awkward genera, known 

 by ornithologists as buzzards. The hawk proper or blue- 

 darter as it is stupidly called, would be more than a 

 match for this tyrant." 



The following is an entry made sometime in June, 1876 

 (though not dated), in the Doctor's "Oological Register," 

 as he called it: 



"No. 5-15 Nest of Tyrannus carolinensis (Bee-bird). 

 This nest was far out on one of the later branches of a 

 sweet gum (liquidambar tree). In attempting to pull in 

 the limb and secure the nest, the limb parted company 

 with the stem to which it was attached and threw all the 

 eggs to the ground, very much to my disappointment as 

 it was the first nest of a bee-bird hat I had ever seen. 

 The eggs are white, dotted with reddish specks about the 

 size of a pin point." 



"Common. Summer resident. Breeds. This bird is not 

 nearly so destructive to bees as the summer tanager 

 (Piranga rubra)." (1890e). 



No. 473. Male. Greensboro. April 21, 1890. W. C. Avery. 



No. 474. Male. Greensboro. April 21, 1890. W. C. Avery. 



No. 488. Male. Greensboro. April 29, 1890. W. C. Avery. 



No. 489. Female. Greensboro. April 29, 1890. W. C. Avery. 



No. 837. Male. Greensboro. May 8, 1891. W. C. Avery. 



