GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER. 147 
GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER. — MUSCICAPA 
CRINITA. — Fic. 54. 
Linn. Syst. 325.— Lath. ii. 357.— Arct. Zool. p. 386, No. 267.— Le Mouche- 
rolle de Virginie & huppe verte, Buff. iv. 565. Pl. enl. 569. — Peale’s Museum, 
No. 6645. 
TYRANNUS CRINITUS. —Swatnson. 
Tyrannus crinitus, Swain. Monog. Journ. of Science, vol. xx. p. 271. — Muscicapa 
: ; crinita, Bonap. Synop. p. 67. 
By glancing at the physiognomy of this bird, and the rest of the 
figures of the same genus, it will readily be observed that they all be- 
long to one particular family of the same genus. They possess strong 
traits of their particular caste, and are all remarkably dexterous at their 
profession of fly-catching. The one now before us is less generally 
known than the preceding, being chiefly confined to the woods. 
There his harsh squeak —for he has no song — is occasionally heard 
above most others. He also visits the orchard; is equally fond of 
bees, but wants the courage and magnanimity of the King Bird. He 
arrives in Pennsylvania early in May, and builds his nest in a hollow 
tree, deserted by the Blue-Bird or Woodpecker. The materials of 
which this is formed are scanty, and rather novel. One of these nests, 
now before me, is formed of a little loose hay, feathers of the Guinea 
fowl, hogs’ bristles, pieces of cast snake-skins, and dogs’ hair. Snake 
skins with this bird appear to be an indispensable article, for I have 
never yet found one of his nests without this material forming a part 
of it.* Whether he surrounds his nest with this by way of terrorem, 
to prevent other birds or animals from entering, or whether it be that 
he finds its silky softness suitable for his young, is uncertain; the fact, 
however, is notorious. The female lays four eggs, of a dull cream 
color, thickly scratched with purple lines of various tints as if done 
with a pen. 
This species is eight inches and a half long, and thirteen inches in 
extent; the upper parts are of a dull greenish olive; the feathers on 
the head are pointed, centred with dark brown, ragged at the sides, 
and form a kind of blowzy crest; the throat, and upper parts of the 
breast, delicate ash; rest of the lower parts, a sulphur yellow; the 
wing-coverts are pale drab, crossed with two bars of dull white; the 
primaries are of a bright ferruginous, or sorrel color; the tail is 
slightly forked, its interior vanes of the same bright ferruginous as 
the primaries; the bill is blackish, very much like that of the King 
Bird, furnished also with bristles; the eye is hazel; legs and feet, . 
bluish black. - The female can scarcely be distinguished, by its colors, 
from the male. 
* As I have mentioned at page 94, this forms the lining to the nests of other 
birds also; and, as the number of snakes is considerable in those uncultivated and 
woody countries, their castings may form a more quent substitute than is gener- 
ally supposed. — Ep. 
