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Range (North America north to New)

North America north to New Brunswick and Manitoba; rare west of the Rocky Mountains; winters in Central and South America. Washington, common S. R., Apl. 20 to Sept. Sing Sing, common S. R., Apl. 29 to Sept. 10. Cambridge, abundant S. R., May 5 to Sept. 1. Nest, compact and symmetrical, of weed-stalks, grasses, and moss lined with plant-down, fine grasses, and rootlets, generally at the extremity of a branch fifteen to twenty-five feet up. Eggs, three to five, white, spotted with umber, 1.00 × 73.

The Kingbird is most frequently seen on a fence or a dead twig on a tree, where leaves do not come in the way of his sight. He stands very upright, like a Hawk or an Owl, and, though as quiet as if he had nothing to do, he is keenly awake to every movement about him, and every few minutes he dashes into the air, seizes a passing insect, and returns to the spot from which he started. While his mate is sitting he usually establishes himself near the nesting tree, and spends hour after hour in this apparently monotonous way, varying it only to FLYCATCHERS. relieve her by watching the nest, and thus give her an opportunity to seek food for herself. I never saw a Kingbird either assist in brooding or carry food to his mate, but his manners to her are most affectionate, and he is untiring in his labors in the feeding of the young. This bird is accused of being quarrelsome and aggressive to other birds, and his scientific name means Tyrant Flycatcher, but in my study of his ways I have found him less aggressive than are most birds in the neighborhood of their nest. With the exception of the Crow, against whom he seems to have a special grudge, I have never seen a Kingbird take notice of any bird unless he alighted near his nest, and the meekest creature that wears feathers will try to drive away strangers who approach that sacred spot. The calls and cries of the Kingbird are generally loud and attractive, if not particularly musical, but while his mate is sitting-and possibly at other times-he indulges in a soft and very pleasing song, which I have heard only in the very early morning.

OLIVE THORNE MILLER. 445. Tyrannus dominicensis (Gmel.). GRAY KINGBIRD. Ad.- Upper parts ashy gray; a concealed orange-red crown patch; wings and tail fuscous; under wing-coverts pale sulphur-yellow; under parts white, tinged with grayish on the breast. L., 9.00; W., 4.60; T., 3.50; B. from N., 80.