TYRANNINJE. 
gape furnished with long bristles ; the nostrils basal, with the opening small, rounded, and partly covered 
by bristles. Wings rather long ; with the second, third, and sometimes fourth and fifth quills equal and 
longest, with the tips of all more or less suddenly sinuated and pointed. Tail moderate, and slightly 
emarginated. Tarsi as long as the middle toe, slender, and covered in front with broad scales. Toes 
short and slender ; the outer toe rather longer than the inner, and united at the base ; the hind toe 
short, and broadly padded beneath ; the claws short, slender, and very acute. 
The species are inhabitants of the tropical parts of America, where they are generally seen sitting on the trees or 
on some prominent place, watching the approach of insects, after which they take a sweep, and, having secured them, 
return sometimes to the same perch. They also prey on small fish and on reptiles, and occasionally feed on berries. It is 
not unusual to observe one of these birds on a twig overhanging the surface of the water, into which they dive 
repeatedly, and then remain for some time quiet to dry and dress their plumage in the sun. Their flight is quick and 
rapid ; and they have been observed slowly hovering over the fields or rivers, as if watching for their food, which, 
having espied, they secured by a sudden sweep. Some of the species are remarkable for their courage, especially 
during the breeding season : should a crow, hawk, or even an eagle, approach their nest, they launch into the air to 
meet him, mount to a considerable height above him, and dart down on his back, sometimes fixing there to the 
great annoyance of the intruder, who, if no convenient retreat or resting-place be near, endeavours by various evolutions 
to rid himself of his merciless adversary. The nest is built in trees, at no great height from the ground ; externally 
it is composed of twigs well woven together with tow and wool, and lined with dry fibrous grass and horse-hair. 
Some species collect together loose hay, feathers of birds, hog’s bristles, pieces of cast off snake-skins, and dog’s hairs, 
in the hollow of a tree. The eggs are usually four or five in number. 
1. T. intrepidus Vieill. PI. enl. 67 6- — Muscicapa tyrannus 
Briss. ; Muscicapa animosa Licht. Wils. Amer. Orn. pi. 13. f. 1 . ; 
Tyrannus pipiri Vieill • Ois. d’Amer. t. 44., Audub. B. of Amer. pi. 
79. 
2. T. matutinus Vieill. PI. enl. 537- — Lanius tyrannus Linn. 
Voy. l’lsle de Cuba, Ois. t. 14. 
3. ? T. griseus Vieill. Ois. d’Ame'r. Sept. t. 46. — Tyrannus 
dominicensis Briss. Audub. B. of Amer. pi. 170. 
4. T. verticalis (Say), Pr. Bonap. Amer. Orn. pi. 2. f. 2., 
Audub. B. of Amer. pi. 359. f- b 2. — Tyrannus vociferans 
Swains. 
5. T. cinereus Vigors, Zool. Beechey’s Voy. p. 17- 
6. T. caudifasciatus D’Orb. Voy. l’lsle de Cuba, t. 12. 
7. T. magnirostris D’Orb. Voy. 1’ Isle de Cuba, t. 13. 
8. T. rufiventris Vieill. Ency. Meth. p. 856. — Azara, No. 205. 
9. T. melancholicus Vieill. N. Diet. d’Hist. Nat. xxxv. p. 48. — 
Muscicapa Despotes Licht. ; M. furcata Spix, Av. Bras. ii. t. 19. ; 
Tyrannus crudelis Swains. 
10. T. ruslicus (Licht.) Pr. Max. Beitr. iii. p. 866. — Muscicapa 
cinerascens Spix, Av. Bras. ii. 21. ; Tyrannus calcaratus Swains. 
Jard. & Selby, 111. Orn. pi. 37. 
11. T. crassirostris Swains. Quart. Journ. of Sci. 1826. p. 273. 
12. T. Cinchoneti Tschudi, Fauna Peruana, p. 12. t. 8. f. 2. 
13. T. vorax Vieill. N. Diet. d’Hist. Nat. xxxv. p. 90. 
14. ? T. americanus (Lath.) PI. enl. 397- 
15. T. . — Tyrannus rufiventris D’Orb. Sj Lafr. Syn. 
Av. p. 45., Voy. dans l’Ame'r. Mer. Ois. t. 32. f. 3, 4. 
1 6. T. aurantio-atro-cristatus D’Orb. & Lafr. Syn. Av. p. 45. 
Milvulus Swains* 
Bill moderate, broad, and depressed at the base, with the culmen slightly sloping, and the sides com- 
pressed to the tip, which is hooked and emarginated; the gonys long and slightly ascending ; the nostrils 
lateral, with the opening rounded, and partly covered by the projecting bristles. Wings long ; with the 
first quill long, the second longest, and the third equal to the first, and all the quills suddenly 
* Established by Mr. Swainson in 1827- Muscipipra of M. Lesson (1831) is synonymous. 
