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SWALLOW-TAILED FLYCATCHER. 
MuscicaPéA FORFICATA, GMEL. 
PLATE CCCLIX. Mate. 
Nor having seen this handsome bird alive, I am unable to give you 
any account of its habits from my own observation; but I have plea- 
sure in supplying the deficiency by extracting the following notice from 
the “« Manual of the Ornithology of the United States and of Canada,” 
by my excellent friend Tuomas Nutra tt. 
«« This very beautiful and singular species of Flycatcher is confined 
wholly to the open plains and scanty forests of the remote south-western 
regions beyond the Mississippi, where they, in all probability, extend 
their residence to the high plains of Mexico. I found these birds ra- 
ther common near the banks of Red River, about the confluence of the 
Kiamesha. I again saw them more abundant, near the Great Salt 
River of the Arkansa in the month of August, when the young and old 
appeared, like our King Birds, assembling together previously to their 
departure for the south. They alighted repeatedly on the tall plants 
of the prairie, and were probably preying upon the grasshoppers, which 
were now abundant. At this time also, they were wholly silent, and 
flitted before our path with suspicion and timidity. A week or two 
after, we saw them no more, having retired probably to tropical winter- 
quarters. , 
In the month of May, a pair, which I daily saw for three or four 
weeks, had made a nest on the horizontal branch of an elm, probably - 
twelve or more feet from the ground. I did not examine it very near, 
but it appeared externally composed of coarse dry grass. The female, 
when first seen, was engaged in sitting, and her mate wildly attacked 
every bird which approached their residence. The harsh chirping 
note of the male, kept up at intervals, as remarked by Mr Say, almost 
resembled the barking of the Prairie Marmot, “tsh, "tsh, ’tsh. His flow- 
ing kite-like tail, spread or contracted at will while flying, is a singu- 
lar trait in his plumage, and rendered him conspicuously beautiful to 
the most careless observer.” 
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