328 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



7.00-10.00. Adult female .- Similar to the male, but rather smaller, the tail 

 shorter, axillars less intensely red, the flanks, etc., paler salmon-color, and 

 crown-spot indistinct. Young: Similar to adult female, but crown-spot 

 wanting. Nest of sticks, etc., lined with feathers and other soft materials, 

 built in trees. Eggs 3-5, .88 X .66, pure white, or creamy white, boldly 

 but sparingly spotted with rich madder-brown and lilac-gray. Sab. 

 Eastern Mexico and southwestern prairie districts of United States, north 

 to Indian Territory, southern Kansas, and southwestern Missouri; acci- 

 dental at Key West, Florida, at Norfolk, Virginia, New Jersey, New Eng- 

 land, Manitoba, and even at York Factory, Hudson's Bay Territory ; south 

 to Costa Eica 443. M. forficatus (Gmel.). Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. 



Genus TYRANNUS Cuvier. (Page 326, pi. XCIL, fig. 1.) 



Common Characters. — Uniform grayish or blackish above, the middle of the 

 crown with a concealed patch of yellow, orange, or orange-red (except in young) ; 

 lower parts white, shaded with grayish on sides of chest, or else ashy anteriorly and 

 pale yellow posteriorly. Nest bulky, built in trees. Eggs handsomely spotted with 

 various shades of brown on a white or cream-colored ground. 



a 1 . Lower parts white. 



b\ Tail slightly rounded, deep black, with abrupt white tip; upper half 

 of head deep black ; bill small, its length from nostril to tip less than 

 length of tarsus. 



Adult : Middle of crown with a concealed patch of orange-red ; wing- 

 coverts edged or bordered with pure white or grayish white. 

 Young : No colored patch on crown ; wing-coverts and upper tail- 

 coverts bordered with pale rusty or fulvous, white tail-band and 

 chest tinged with same, and colors duller generally. Length 8.00- 

 9.00, wing 4.45-4.75, tail 3.40-3.75, bill from nostril .50-.57. Nest 

 of sticks, rootlets, etc., lined with wool, feathers, etc., built upon 

 trees. Eggs 3-5, .95 X -69, white spotted with rich madder-brown, 

 or chestnut, and lilac-gray. Sab. Temperate North America 

 (chiefly east of Eocky Mountains and rare on Pacific coast) ; south, 

 in winter, to Middle America and western South America to Bo- 

 livia; Cuba; Bahamas 444. T. tyrannus (Linn.). Kingbird. 



b 2 . Tail decidedly emarginate, without abrupt white tip; bill very large, its 

 length from nostril to tip exceeding length of tarsus. 

 c*. Above grayish brown, the head brownish dusky or dark brown ; crown- 

 patch orange-red; wing 5.20-5.30, tail 4.00-4.25, bill from nostril 

 1.00-1.05. Sab. Cuba and Bahamas. 



T. magnirostris D'Obb. Great-billed Kingbird. 1 

 <?. Above, including top of head, plumbeous-gray. Adult: A concealed 



1 Tyrannus magnirostrie D'Orb., La Sagra's Cuba, Oia. 1839, pi. 13. 



