PASSERES — MUSCICAPIDiE — TYRANNUS. 
117 
GENUS TYRANNUS. Vieillot. 
Head distinctly crested, often with a vermilion patch on the summit. Outer quills attenuated 
towards the ends. 
THE KING-BIRD. 
Tyrannus intrepidus. 
PLATE XXXIII. FIG. 72. 
(STATE COLLECTION.) 
Lanins tyrannus. Linn.*cs, Syst. Nat. 
Tyrannuspipiri et intrepidus. Vieillot, pi. 44. 
Muscicapa tyrannus. Wilson, Am. Orn. Vol. 1, p. 66, pi. 13, fig. 1. Audubon, folio, pi. 79; Orn. Biog. Vol. 
1, p. 403, and Vol. 5, p. 420. 
King-bird , or Tyrant Flycatcher. Nuttall, Manual Orn. Vol. 1, p. 265. Audubon, B. of A. Vol. 1, p. 204, pi. 56. 
M. tyrannus , Tyrant Flycatcher . GiRAUD,^Birds of Long Island, p. 39. 
Characteristics. Blackish; beneath whitish. Tail nearly even, black, with a terminal 
band of white. Length, 8-9 inches. 
Description. Bill depressed, wide at the base, gradually tapering to the tip, where it 
forms a small hook : lower mandible flatly convex. Crest erectile. The two outer quills 
attenuated at the tip ; second quill longest. Tail nearly even, 1 • 5 longer than the tips of the 
closed wings. 
Color. Dark ash above, approaching to black. Head and tail nearly black. When the 
dark feathers of the head are removed, we observe a bright vermilion spot bordered with 
yellow. Wings olive brown, bordered with dull white. Beneath pure white, except the 
breast and under tail-coverts, which are light ash. Bill and feet black. Female, resembles 
the male, except that the colors above incline to olive brown ; beneath dusky white. 
Length, 8'0 - 9*0. Alar extent, l-LO-lS-O. 
The King-bird, as it is called in this State, or Field Martin as it is termed elsewhere, is 
a well known and common species. It winters in Mexico, enters Louisiana about the middle 
of March, and appears here in the latter part of April or beginning of May. They continue 
their northward course as far as the 57th parallel of latitude. It spreads over the continent 
to Columbia river. It leaves us for its winter quarters in September or October, according 
to the season. Breeds in every part of the State, laying from 4-6 yellowish white eggs 
with a few spots of deep brown. Feeds on berries and seeds, beetles, canker-worms, and 
insects of every description. By this, and by his inveterate hostility to rapacious birds, he 
more than compensates for the few domestic bees with which he varies his repasts. Like the 
Hawks and Owls, he ejects from his mouth, in the shape of large pellets, all the indigestible 
parts of insects and berries. 
