MILVULUS LONGIPENNIS, Swainson. 

 Grey fork-tailed Tyrant, 



PLATE XLIL 



M. grisea ; mento albente ; cauda fusca, longa, furcata.. 



Tyrannus longipennis, Swains. Brand's Journ. lx. 283. 



JVIr Swainson has the merit of first publicly describing this species, un- 

 der the name of Tyrannus longipennis, although he ascribes the discovery 

 of it to M. Natterer, zoologist to the Austrian government. Mr Swain- 

 son then placed it in the last section of the genus Tyrannus, but after- 

 wards with great propriety formed his genus Milvulus, taking Muscicapa 

 Tyrannus, Linn, for the type, and including in it the present species, with 

 the Swallow-tailed Fly-catcher, Latham, Muscicapa Forficata of Bona- 

 parte, and one or two others. The genus Tyrannus, however, still con- 

 tains at least three distinct forms, from all of which the genus Milvulus 

 differs in the general weakness of structure, and in the exceeding de- 

 velopement of the organs of flight, approaching very near to some of the 

 long-tailed Muscipeta. The tarsi are considerably lengthened, and the 

 claws are remarkably slender and sharp. This group, also, although agree- 

 ing generally with the habits of the Tyrants, differs in not being entirely 

 insectivorous, but sometimes feeding on the berries of different plants. ; 



The length is about nine to ten inches, of which the tail is nearly one- 

 half. The bill is short and depressed, but rather strong. The plumage, 

 excepting the wings and tail, is bluish-grey, paler beneath, and on the 

 throat nearly white : the shaft of each feather is black, giving to the whole 

 a slightly streaked appearance ; the feathers on the crown are longer, and 

 form a short incumbent crest. The wings and tail are dusky black : the 

 former are very long in proportion, and are furnished with the rudiments 

 of a knob or spur at the shoulder, as in most of the Tyranni. The pri- 

 maries are pointed, but particularly the second, the inner web of which is 



