58 
MUSCICAPA TYRANNUS. 
This species is eig-ht inches long, and fourteen i” 
extent ; the general colour above is a dark slaty ash! 
the head and tail are nearly hlackj the latter even 
the end, and tipt nith white; the wings are more of* 
brownish cast ; the quills and wing-<'OTerts iire ali* 
edged with dull white ; the upper part of the breast i-‘ 
tinged with ash ; the throat, and all the rest of tW 
lower parts, are jiure white ; the plumage on the croi'*' 
though not forming a crest, is frequently erected a»^ 
discovers a rich bed of brilliant orange, or flame coiooh 
called by the country people his crown; when th* 
feathers lie close, this is altogether (oncealed. Th^' 
bill is very broad at the base, overhanging at the poii**’ 
and notclied, of a glossy black colour, and fnrnisht'* 
with bristles at the base ; the legs and feet arc hlacl^' 
seamed ivith gray; the eye, hazel. The female diffei* 
in being more brownish on the upper parts, has a smiilk^ 
streak of paler orange on the crown, and a narroiV«' 
border of duller white on the tail. The youno' birds <1* 
not recci vc the orange on the head during their'resideni'* 
here the first season. 
This bird is very generally known, from the Lakes t* 
Florida. Besides insects, they feed, tike every othf' 
species of their tribe with which I am acquainted 
various sorts of heiries, particularly blackberries’, <•' 
ivhich they are extremely fond. Early in Septcmhel 
they leave Pennsylvania, on their way to the south. 
A few days ago, I shot one of these birds, the whol* 
plum,age of which was nearly white, or a little inclinii'? 
to a cream colour ; it ives a bird of the present yefifj 
and could not lie more than a month old. TliisappMr** 
also to have been its original colour, as it issued fro’*' 
the egg. The skin was yellowish-white; the eye niu*’^ 
lighter than usual; the legs and hill, blue. It was nliiiOl’' 
and seemingly in good order. 1 presented it to w- 
Peale. Whatever may he the cause of this loss 
colour, if I may so call it, in birds, it is by no mea”* 
uncommon among the various tribes that inhabit tl’" 
United States. The sparrow hawk, sparrow, robi”' 
red-wmged blackbird, and many others, are occasiouoUy 
