178 GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER.
yet seldom chases the larger birds of prey, but, unlike the Bee Martin,
prefers attacking those smaller ones which inadvertently approach its nest
or its station. Among themselves these birds have frequent encounters,
on which occasions they shew an unrelenting fierceness almost amounting
to barbarity. The •plucking of a conquered rival is sometimes witnessed.
In its flight this bird moves swiftly and with power. It sweeps after
its prey with a determined zeal, and repeatedly makes its mandibles clatter
with uncommon force and rapidity. When the prey is secured, and
it has retired to the spray on which it was before, it is seen to beat the
insect on it, and swallow it with greediness, after which its crest is boldly
erected, and its loud harsh squeak immediately resounds, imitating the
syllables paiip, paip, payup, payiup. No association takes place among
different families, and yet the solicitude of the male towards his mate, and
of the parent birds towards their young, is exemplary. The latter are
fed and taught to provide for themselves, with a gentleness which might
be copied by beings higher in the scale of nature, and in them might meet
with as much gratitude as that expressed by the young Flycatchers towards
their anxious parents. The family remain much together while in
the United States, and go off in company early in September. This species,
like the Tyrant Flycatcher, migrates by day, and during its journeys
is seen passing at a great height.
The squeak or sharp note of the Great Crested Flycatcher is easily
distinguished from that of any of the genus, as it transcends all others in
shrillness, and is heard mostly in those dark woods where, recluse-like, it
seems to delight. During the love-season, and as long as the male is paying
his addresses to the female, or proving to her that he is happy in her
society, it is heard for hours both at early dawn and sometimes after sunset
; but as soon as the young are out, the whole family are mute.
It feeds principally upon insects, so long as these are abundant; but
frequently in autumn, and as it retrogrades from the Middle Districts, its
food is grapes and several species of berries, among which those of the
pokeweed are conspicuous. While in the woods, its flight is peculiarly
rapid: it dashes through the upper branches of the tallest trees like an
arrow, and often sweeps from this elevated range close to the earth, to
seize an insect, which it has espied issuing from among the grass or the
fallen leaves.
GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER. 179
M U S C I C A P A -CHIN I T A , Linn. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 325—Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. ii.
p. 485—Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 67-
CJKEAT CRESTED F L Y C A T C H E R , M U S C I C A P A C R L N I T A , WUS* Amer. Ornith. vol. ii.
p. 75. pi. 13. fig. 2—Nuttall, Manual, part i. p. 271.
Adult Male. Plate CXXIX. Fig. L
Bill rather long, stout, broader than deep, excepting towards the end,
"where it is compressed; upper mandible with the ridge broad and nearly
straight, the sides convex, the tip declinate, the edges sharp, with a sinus
close to the tip; lower mandible with the back broad at the base, the
sides convex, the ridge rather sharp towards the end, the edges sharp.
Nostrils basal, lateral, roundish, partly covered by the bristly feathers.
Head rather large, but the general form rather slender. Feet short;
•tarsus very short, covered anteriorly with a few scutella, sharp behind ;
toes free, scutellate, slender; claws arched, much compressed, very acute.
Plumage soft and blended. Feathers of the head pointed and elongated.
Wings of ordinary length, broad, rounded, the fourth and fifth
• it 'j'jii i'• *'ffj<j(>t it'Mffff inj;iii9i vlifnj>i 9tlX -8}p9*iJ$(i syoixfxs "119/11
quills longest. Tail rather long, slightly forked, of twelve rounded
feathers. The bristles at the base of the bill strong:.
Rill and legs brownish-black. Iris brown. The colour of the upper
parts is dull greenish-olive. Quills and coverts dark brown, the primaries
margined with light reddish-brown, the secondaries with white, of which
J I T Rti'dlo ll'j sbftd'MffSTJ .*)r as .<y.rn.*rs txli'io vnR >o ^iui.t moii bonsrw^nTisib there are two bars across the wing, formed by the tips of the secondary
)l •9.JifI-98ijl99,I .919frW 2DOOW JiTCT) 980I1i III VligOfft bxGOIl 31 bfIB .28yfflIriuR
coverts and first row of small coverts. Inner webs of the tail-feathers
light ferruginous, as are those of the quills. Sides of the head and neck
bluish-grey. The under parts in general lemon-yellow.
Length 8| inches, extent of wings 13 ; bill along the ridge j 8
? , along
, - .atnni 9*tB VIIOIBI 9iorf •the edge j | ; tarsus w tmJ TJIJO 9i£ 'Qnuov Sni fti* nooa a*> HurJ • isa T
8 j . JufLrii^iituJfo sis 92arit ejj wioLoa rI he female resembles the male. »lo9ani noqu yli^ahnnq sfmi )l
88fiTg 9fu gnomje cno'il ^rirusei bstqeo asd Jjjjfigf'