THE WHITE-SHAFTED FAN-TAIL. 257 



their bases are seen to be of a bright orange or flame color. This appearance is never seen 

 unless the bird is excited. The tail is also black, but is tipped with white. The general color 

 of the upper parts of the body is ashen-gray, and the quill-feathers and coverts of the wing are 

 marked with dull white. The under parts of the body are white with the exception of a large 

 gray patch on the breast. The total length of the bird is about eight inches. In the Southern 

 States of Amei-ica the King Bird is called the Field Martin. 



The King Bird. This bird, called also Bee Martin, is common to all parts of America, 

 from the Atlantic to the Rocky Mountains. As a summer resident it is abundantly distributed 

 throughout New England. 



Tliere are thirty-three species of this group of Fly-catchers, having quite characteristic 

 features, that at once distinguish them. 



The flat and wide bill is the principal one. Many of them have crests ; the larger species 

 having scarlet feathers concealed under the topknot. 



The Great Crested Fly-catciier {Myiarclius crinitus) is one of the larger species. It is 

 a rare bird in New England ; but is known to breed in Massachussetts occasionally. 



Our second example of the TjTant Birds is the curious Fork-tailed Fly-catcher. 



This remarkable species is an inhabitant of tropical Ameiica, and is rather frequently 

 found in Guiana, where it is popularly, but erroneously, caUed the Widow Bird, that appella- 

 tion belonging by right to one of the finches. Sometimes the bird is quite solitary, but at 

 other times it assembles in little tiocks on the branches, and from thence darts on the passing 

 insects. It is also fond of frequenting the low flooded lands, and of percliing uj)on the tufts 

 of rank herbage that appear above the water, opening and shutting its long tail like a pair of 

 shears. Its food is mostly of an insect character, but it will feed upon various fruits and 

 berries. 



It is quick and agile of wing, and by means of its long and fiiTuly set tail is enabled to 

 make many sharp turns in the air, an accomplishment which is needful for the purpose of 

 overtaking the large winged insects on which it loves to feed ; and while engaged in these 

 aerial manoeuvres it constantly spreads or closes its tail. Except immediately after moulting, 

 the long scissor-like feathers of the tail are seldom in a perfect state, as the bird is very 

 vivacious in its movements, and in its quick glancing flight among the branches is apt to fray 

 the beautiful plumes against the boughs, and often rubs the webs entirely away, leaving the long 

 shafts protruding, clothed only \y\\\\ little ragged fragments of web. The Fork -tailed Fly- 

 catcher is quite as brave a bird as the preceding species, and is frequently seen to attack and 

 defeat birds that are far superior in size and bodily strength, but inferior in dashing courage. 



The coloring of this bird is briefly as follows : The top of the head is velvety black when 

 the bird is at rest ; but when it becomes excited, it raises the feathers of its head into a 

 kind of crest, and displays a bright orange spot, caused by the orange hue which tinges the 

 basal parts of each feather. The neck, back, and upper parts of the body are dark gray, 

 deepening gradually towards the tail, which is jetty black with the exception of the white 

 outer web of the exterior quill-feathers. The under portions of the bird are white. The total 

 length of this bird is about fourteen inches, of which the tail occupies ten, so that the dimen- 

 sions of the bird itself are reaUy small. 



TYPICAL FLY-CATCHERS. 



We now arrive at the typical Fly-catchers, named, in allusion to their insect-eating habits, 

 the Muscicapine birds. 



This gi-oup includes many curious and interesting species, one of the most remarkable 

 being the White-shafted Fan-tail of Australia. Beyond elegance of form and pleasing 

 arrangement of rather sombre coloring, this bird possesses no great external attractions ; but 

 for the singular form of its nest, and the eccentricity of some of its habits, it is well worthy 



Vol. n.— 38. 



