laniadjE. 143 



capa fused), which bird it strongly resembles, and that its nest was built on a tree, 

 and consisted of moss and clay, with a few interwoven blades of dried grass. Its 

 young were ready to fly in July. One individual appeared at Carlton House on 

 the 13th of May, when it settled on a low garden-fence, flitting from place to 

 place when disturbed. It was not difficult of approach, and was immediately 

 secured for a specimen. A female was killed afterwards. 



DESCRIPTION 

 Of a specimen, killed at Carlton House, May 13th, 1827- 



Colour of the dorsal aspect greyish-brown, approaching to yellowish-grey * ; quill feathers 

 clove-brown, with faded exterior margins ; tail blackish-brown. Under surface. — The belly, 

 vent, and under tail coverts have a deep buff-orange colour, approaching to ferruginous, 

 which on the breast and throat gradually passes into yellowish-grey and smoke-grey. The 

 linings of the wings have an ochrey tinge. The bill is blackish-brown, its under mandible 

 being rather paler. Legs black. 



Form, &c. — Bill much smaller than that of Tyrannus intrepidus, but formed nearly upon 

 the same model ; its base, however, is not so broad in proportion, while its exterior half is 

 somewhat depressed. Nostrils small, rounded, and partially concealed by bristles and feathers 

 that project from the forehead. There are about five strong bristles at the angle of the mouth. 

 The tips of the folded wings are half an inch shorter than the end of the tail. The quill fea- 

 thers are rather narrow, but without any emargination of their inner webs. The first is of 

 intermediate length between the fifth and sixth ; the second and third are equal, and longest ; 

 the fourth is just perceptibly shorter. Tail moderately long and perfectly square. Hallux 

 one third shorter than the tarsi. The toe and claw of equal length ; and the latter much 

 longer than the claw of the middle toe f . 



Dimensions 



Of the specimen, ascertained when it was recently killed. 



Inches. Lines. Inches. Lines. 



Length from the tip of the bill to the end of Length of the bill, measured on its ridge 6£ 



the tail ...... 8 ,, of the tarsus .... 9§ 



,, of the tail .... 3 3 „ of the middle toe ... 6 



„ of the longest quill feather .35 ,, of its claw .... 3 



„ of the folded wing ... 4 2 „ of the hind claw ... &§ 



„ of the bill from the angle of the mouth 10^ 



A female, killed on the 19th of May, differs from the preceding merely in being 

 about half an inch shorter, and in the quill and tail feathers being rather paler. 



• Cinnamon-brown. — Bonaparte. 



f All the claws are peculiarly sharp and fully curved, ending in so fine a point, as to betray the habits of the bird to 

 be strictly arborial. The scutellation of the tarsi is peculiar, and different from most other species. The hinder 

 parts of the tarsi are protected by a row of small scales independent of those which wrap round the fore part, and which 

 in the generality of the Tyrannince, meet behind, without the intervention of any other scales Sw. 



