FLYCATCHERS 187 



sassafras, dogwood, Virginia creeper, buckthorn, and red 

 cedar. 



NORTHERN CRESTED FLYCATCHER : Mymrchus 

 crinitus boreus Bangs.* 



State records. — The crested flycatcher is a generally dis- 

 tributed summer resident, but is somewhat less common than 

 the kingbird and is of more retiring habits. Migrants ap- 

 pear from the South early in April and leave early in Septem- 

 ber. First arrivals were noted at Woodbine, March 30 

 (1908) ; Autaugaville, April 3 (1912) ; Jackson, April 6 

 (1912) ; Montgomery, April 7 (1908 and 1913) ; Leighton, 

 April 14 (1890) ; and Sand Mountain, April 10 (1913). The 

 last one seen at Leighton in fall was on September 7 (1891). 

 Fresh eggs have been found at Leighton, May 15 and June 3 ; 

 and at Autaugaville, May 26. 



General habits. — This flycatcher frequents heavy timber, 

 both in river bottoms and on hillsides, and is found to some 

 extent in open deciduous groves and in pine flats. Its large 

 size and prominent crest serve to distinguish it from the other 

 flycatchers. 



It is a shy bird and rather solitary in its habits, living chief- 

 ly in the "upper stories" of the woods. Its call note is a loud, 

 spirited, and not unmusical whistle given with a rising inflec- 

 tion, besides which it has several other equally characteristic 

 notes. The birds are said to be quarrelsome among them- 

 selves, even to the extent of sometimes plucking a tail feather 



'Described in The Auk, vol. 16, p. 179, 1898. Varying opinions have been expressed 

 as to the validity of a southern race of this bird and as to the proper identification of 

 the type subspecies. After Mr. Bancs had recognized the existence of a different race in 

 Florida, Mr. E. H. Howe contended that birds from South Carolina, representing the 

 typical race, were nearer the northern form, and accordingly named the Florida race 

 Hyierchns crinitus residnns (see Contrib. North Amer. Ornith., vol. 1. p. 30, May 21, 

 1902) and this opinion has been endorsed by Oberholser (see The Auk, vol. 34, pp. 194- 

 195, 1917). Becently, however, as a result of collections made by the writer in southern 

 Florida, and by Dr. E. A. Mearns and Mr. J. H. Kiley, near Mount Pleasant, South 

 Carolina, it has been possible to compare for the first time a considerable series of 

 breeding birds from Florida with similar series from New England and from South 

 Carolina (the type region of crinitus). With the assistance of Dr. Oberholser I have 

 carefully measured -and compared this large series, with the followfng results: In size 

 of bill and wing the South Carolina birds are almost exactly intermediate between the 

 northern birds and the Florida birds ; but in addition to these characters, there proves to 

 be a marked difference in the color of the back, the Florida birds being decidedly more 

 greenish (less brownish) than the northern birds, and in this character, the South Caro- 

 lina birds (which are, of course, typical crinitus) are distinctly nearer to the southern 

 race Therefore the name Myiarehus crinitus crinitus should be applied to the southern 

 race breeding throughout Florida and north to the coast of South Carolina (residnns of 

 Howe becoming a synonym of this) ; while the northern race should be called Myiarehus 

 crinitus boreus Bangs. 



