Part 32

Found only on the southern borders of the United States, but is quite common in Central Mexico. Throat is a metallic purple, with feathers elongated on the sides.

RIEFFER HUMMINGBIRD. 438. Amizilis tzacatl. 4 inches.

Found only on the southern borders like above. Upper parts a dark bluish green, tail and rump light brown.

BUFF-BELLIED HUMMINGBIRD. 439. Amisilis cerviniventris chalconota. 4 inches.

These birds are very similar to the last, but the under parts are of a pale brownish buff color, throat, back and tail coverts metallic green. Breeds in low bushes near the ground.

XANTUS HUMMINGBIRD. 440. Basilinna xantusi. 4 inches.

Found in Lower California, where it breeds and builds very much as does the preceding near the ground. (Not illustrated.)

WHITE-EARED HUMMINGBIRD. 440.1. Basilinna leucotis. 3¼ inches.

These birds are of a bright metallic green above and also on the breast, the forehead, sides of head and throat are an iridescent blue, and a white line extends back from the eye. Found in the southern parts of Arizona and Texas into Central America. Nesting habits same as above.

BROAD-BILLED HUMMINGBIRD 441. Cyanthus latirostris. 3½ inches.

Markings are in every way very similar to the above, being brighter on the throat, showing a more brilliant blue. Found in the southern borders of Arizona and Texas, where it breeds in the lower lands and near the ground. Nests similar to above.

KINGBIRD.—Family Tyrannidæ. 444. Tyrannus tyrannus. 8½ inches.

From the time of their arrival Kingbirds are much in evidence about farmyards and orchards. They are very noisy birds, ready for a quarrel at any time and usually come off victorious in whatever they undertake. They seem to delight in driving away crows, and may frequently be seen to alight on the back of one when chasing them. These are found only on the eastern slope of the Rockies and eastward, where they are very common.

Nest.—Is placed in almost any kind of trees in open fields or woods. Nearly every orchard will have one or more pairs breeding. Their nests are made of twigs, roots, or strips of fiber from vines and lined with the down from catkins and horsehair. Three to five creamy white eggs, mottled and streaked with brown and lilac, are laid (.95 × .70).

ARKANSAS KINGBIRD. 447. Tyrannus verticalis. 9 inches.

A more western variety, lighter in color and with a bright yellow breast and under parts. Its habits are much the same as the above in its home building or in trying to find a neighbor to quarrel with. The eggs are the same in size and color.

CASSIN KINGBIRD. 448. Tyrannus vociferans. 9 inches.

These birds are very much like the last, except that the throat and breast are darker.

DERBY FLYCATCHER. 449. Pitangus sulphuratus derbianus. 10½ inches.

This is one of the largest and most handsome of the family. With its bright yellow crown, surrounded with a black border and this by white and another band of black, with the under parts a bright yellow makes him one of the most attractive. They are found, though, only on the southern borders of Texas into Central America. (Not illustrated.)

SULPHUR-BELLIED FLYCATCHER. 451. Myiodynastes luteiventris. 8 inches.

Unlike any of the previous, and only found breeding in the mountains of Arizona south to Panama. The back is grayish streaked with black, the tail a dull reddish brown, and the under parts yellow, streaked on the sides with dusky; a white throat patch, bordered with black; the crown with a concealed yellow spot bordered with dusky and a narrow white stripe over the eye. They place their nests in the cavity of some tree, and lay from three to five buff colored eggs spotted and blotched with brown and lavender (1.05 × .75).

CRESTED FLYCATCHER. 452. Myiarchus crinitus. 9 inches.

This is more an eastern bird, but is found in Texas and down through Central America. They nest in cavities of trees, it being made of twigs, weeds, grasses, and invariably a piece of snake skin. They lay from four to six eggs of a buff color scratched and spotted with rich shades of brown and lavender (.85 × .65). (Not illustrated.)

ARIZONA CRESTED FLYCATCHER. 453. Myiarchus magister magister. 9½ inches.

The throat and breast are lighter than the previous bird, and the under parts are paler yellow. Its nesting habits are the same as above even to including the piece of snakeskin, or in place of it part of a lizard skin will answer their purpose.

ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER. 454. Myiarchus cinerascens. 8½ inches.

A much more quiet bird than either of the above, in looks as well as in actions. The upper parts are grayish brown, while the under parts, breast and throat are almost white. They build their nests in the giant cactus or in holes of stumps, lining the cavity with roots and grass or bits of rubbish of almost any kind, and generally include the piece of snake skin as do the ones above.