FLYCATCHERS 



(449) Pitangus sulphuratus 

 derbianus 



(A South American name; Lat., sulphury, 

 relating to the color of the under parts; to 

 Lord Derby). 



DERBY FLYCATCHER. A 



very large species with a very heavy 

 bill, as long as its head. Crown- 

 patch more extensive than that of 

 the kingbirds and either lemon- 

 yellow or orange and yellow. Sexes 

 alike. Light yellow below and wood- 

 brown on the back; wing and tail 

 feathers extensively chestnut. L., 

 10.50; W., 5.10; T., 4.00; B., r.20. 

 Nest — A large structure of twigs 

 and weeds with the entrance on the 

 side; in trees or thickets. 



Range — Lower Rio Grande Val- 

 ley in southern Texas and through 

 Mexico. 



DERBY FLYCATCHERS, the largest of our flycatchers, 

 reach our borders only in the southern parts of Texas, where 

 they occur casually. They are common in parts of Mexico 

 and Central America. 



They are usually seen in pairs and are very partial to the 

 neighborhood of streams. They are noisy at all seasons 

 of the year, but particularly so during breeding. The loud, 

 shrill notes of "hip-see-dee, hip-see-dee" may be heard for 

 long distances. Their nesting is entirely different from our 

 other flycatchers. The nest is large and round, composed 

 of twigs, weeds, lichens, etc., with the opening on the side 

 and the interior lined with fine grasses. It is tisually placed 

 in dense thickets, ten or twelve feet above ground ; one found 

 in southern Texas was in a large bunch of Spanish moss 

 hanging from a tree; in Central America the nests are often 

 tucked in among clusters of growing bananas. The eggs 

 are more pear-shaped than those of kingbirds and have only 

 a few small, round spots of reddish-brown. 



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