

TYRANNIN^E. 



ascending to the tip, which is acute, and turned up ; the nostrils basal and lateral, with the opening- 

 small and rounded. Wings rather long ; with the third and fourth quills equal and longest. Tail 

 moderate, and slightly emarginated. Tarsi shorter than the middle toe, very slender, and covered in 

 front with broad scales. Toes very short and slender ; with the outer toe longer than the inner, and 

 united at the base ; the hind toe short and padded beneath ; the claws short and slightly curved. 



These species are found in the intertropical regions of South America. 



1. S. pitangua (Linn.) Strickl. PI. enl. 212. — Tyrannus carni- 

 vorus Vieill. ; Scaphorhynchus sulphuratus Pr. Max. ; T. brasi- 

 liensis Briss. ; Megastoma ruficeps Swains. ? 



h 2. S.flaviceps (Swains.) Two Cent, and a Quart, p. 285. 

 V 3. S. atriceps (Swains.) Two Cent, and a Quart, p. 285. 

 4. S. chrysocephalus Tschudi, Fauna Peruana, p. 12. t. 8. f. 1. 



Saurophagus Sxvains.* 



Bill long and straight, with the culmen slightly curved, and the sides much compressed to the tip, 

 which is abruptly hooked and emarginated ; the gonys long and ascending ; the gape furnished with 

 rather short weak bristles ; the nostrils basal, with the opening small, rounded, and concealed by the 

 projecting plumes. Wings long; with the third and fourth quills equal and longest. Tail moderate, 

 and slightly emarginated. Tarsi shorter than the middle toe, and covered in front with broad 

 transverse scales. Toes moderate, and rather slender ; the outer toe rather longer than the inner, and 

 united at the base ; the hind toe moderate, and broadly padded beneath ; the claws long, slender, and 

 acute. 



The hirds that compose this genus are found in the intertropical portions of America. They frecpiently hunt the 

 ground, hovering in the air over one spot like a hawk, and then proceeding to do the same over another, but their stoop 

 is very inferior to that bird's. They are sometimes observed in the neighbourhood of water, and there remain stationary, 

 watching and catching any small fish that swims near the surface. Their flight is undulatory ; and in the evening they 

 sometimes perch on a bush, repeating a shrill and singular cry, which somewhat resembles articulate words. 



1. S. sulphuratus (Linn.) Swains. PI. enl. 296., Vieill. Ois. d' 

 Ame'r. t. 47. — Tyrannus magnanimus et T. bellicosus Vieill. 



2. ? S.Jlavus (Gmel.) PL enl. 249. — Corvus leucogaster Bodd. 



3. S. Lictor (Licht.) Cat. Dupl. Berl. Mus. p. 49.— Saurophagus 

 pusillus Swains. ; S. Swainsoni Gould. ? 



Tyrannus Cuv.\ 



Bill more or less long, broad, and rather depressed at the base, with the culmen slightly curved, and 

 the sides compressed to the tip, which is hooked and emarginated; the gonys long and ascending; the 



* Originally established in 1827 by Mr. Swainson under the name of Pitangus, which he changed to the above name in 1831. Apolit 

 of Chev. Sundevall (1836) is synonymous. 



t Established by Cuvier between 1799 and 1800. Brymonax of M. Gloger (1827) is probably synonymous. 



