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*
C olode 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.
F orm, Sic .— 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 feathers
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 .
Of the specimen,
Dimensions
ascertained when it was recently killed.
Lines.
Inches. Length from the tip of the bill to the end of
the tail . . . . • • 8 0
,, of the tail . . . . 3 3
„ of the longest quill feather . 3 5
„ of the folded wing . . . 4 2
,, of the bill from the angle of the mouth 0 10^
Length of the bill, measured on its ridge Inch0es. 6£
„ of the tarsus . . 0 9£
,, of the middle toe . . 6 „ of its claw . 0 3
,, of the hind claw 3£
A. female, killed on the 19 th 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.—B o n a pa r t e . + 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 Tyranninos, meet behind, without the intervention of any other scales—Sw.