432 



SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS.— PASSEBES— CLAMATOEES. 



smaller than <J, with the tail oommonly less developed. Young: Similar; primary not 

 abruptly emarginate; tail undeveloped; no crown-spot, and little or lio red. Lower Missis- 

 sippi valley and Texas ; usually N. to Indian Terri- 

 tory and Kansas, even S. W. Missouri ; accidental in 

 New Jersey and New England ! A most elegant, 

 graceful, and showy bird, abundant in Texas, con- 

 spicuous by the display it makes in opening and clos- 

 ing the tail, like scissor-blades ; very active, dashing 

 and noisy, like a king-bird, — all the large flycatchers 

 sharing this same impetuous, irritable disposition. 

 Nesting like the king-bird's ; eggs 4-5, white, boldly 

 blotched vidth reddish on the surface, and lilac shell- 

 spots ; laid in May. 

 119. TYRAN'NUS. (Lat. iyrawTCMs, a tyrant.) King Fly- 

 catchers. Tail moderate in size and shape, rather 

 shorter than wing, even or little rounded, emarginate 

 or lightly forked. Wings long, pointed by the 2d-3d 

 quills, 1st and 4th little if any shorter, 5th and rest 

 rapidly graduated. Several outer primaries abruptly 

 emarginate or sinuate-narrowed on inner webs towards 

 end. Bill stout, flattish, fully bristled, notched, and 

 hooked (fig. 378). Feet small and weak, the tarsus 

 with scales obviously lapping around. Size large : 

 length 8 inches or more ; wing over 4. Sexes alike ; 

 9 sharing the flaming crown-patch ; primaries less or 

 not emarginate ? Young lacking the crown-spot and 

 attenuation of primaries. Nest bulky, on a bough, 

 compactly woven and felted. Eggs white, boldly 

 marked vrith oval or tear-shaped spots of reddish- 

 brown. Contains numerous species, 5 of N. Am., which have been divided into sevei-al named 

 subgenera, but are closely interrelated through various exotic species. They are the " king- 

 birds" proper. 



Analysis of Species. 

 No olive nor decided yellow; blackisb and wliitish. 



Only two primaries obviously emarginate. Tall about eyen, conspicuously vchite-tlpped. Bill small, 



under 1.00. {Tyrannws) . - carolinensis 368 



Five or six primaries emarginate. Tail emarginate, merely lighter at end. Bill big, 1.00 long. [Melit- 



tcurcJms) . dominicensis 369 



Olivaceous, with pure yellow on belly, asby on head. Bill moderate. {Laphyctes.) 

 Tail blackisb, merely emarginate; wings dark brown. 



Several outer primaries gradually attenuate for a long distance. Outer web of. outer tail-feather 



white verticalis 370 



Several outer primaries abruptly emarginate for a short distance. Outer web of outer tail-feather 



merely whitish-edged voci/ercms 371 



Tail dark brown, like the wingp, obviously forked 



Several outer primaries abruptly emarginate for a short distance couchi 372 



308. T. caroUnen'sis. (Of Carolina. Fig. 283.) King-bird. Bee-martin. $ ? , adult : 

 No olive nor decided yellow. Only two outer primaries obviously emarginate (fig. 279, 6). 

 Tail nearly even — if anything a little rounded. Blackish-ash, stUl darker or quite black on 

 head, crown with a flaming spot. Below, pure white, the breast shaded with plumbeous. 

 Wings dusky, with much whitish edging. Tail black, broadly and sharply tipped with' 

 w^hite, the outer feather sometimes edged vidth the same. Bill and feet black. Young : 

 Lacking emargination of the primaries, and no crown-spot ; very young birds show rufous 



Fig. 282. — Swallow-tailed Flycatcher. 

 (Sheppard del. Nichols so.) 



