Jan., 1909. Birds op Illinois and Wisconsin — Cory, 531 



Kingbird. 



maries, emarginate or "notched" near the ends; primaries, dark 

 brown; tail, black, tipped with white. The sexes are similar. 



Immature birds are without the orange red crown patch, and 

 the outer primaries, not emarginate. 



Length, 8; wing, 4.50; tail, 3.50; bill, .60. 



The Kingbird is a common summer resident in Illinois and Wiscon- 

 sin, arriving from the South late in April. It may often be observed 

 perched upon a dead twig, watching for insects which it dashes after 

 and catches with great dexterity while on the wing, when it will usually 

 return to the same post of observation. The notes are a series of 

 loud sharp twitters. 



It breeds in May and June. The nest is composed of dry weeds, 

 grass and moss, built on a limb, usually from ten to twenty feet 

 from the ground. The eggs are four or five, dull white, spotted 

 with dark brown, and measure about i.oox.ys inches. There are 

 contained in the collection of the Museum several sets of eggs taken 

 at Joliet and about Chicago between June 12 and 16. 



205. Tyrannus verticalis Say. 

 Arkansas Kingbird. 



Distr.: Western United States, from British Columbia to Mexico 

 and Guatemala; accidental in Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Maryland, 

 New Jersey, New York, and Maine. 



Adult: Top and sides of head, gray, a concealed patch of fiery 

 orange red; chin, whitish, rest of throat, gray; back, grayish olive; 



