There are several species of Fly-Catchers familiarly known in the United States; the PHOEBE-BIRD or PEWEE FLY-CATCHER, M. nunciola or M. fusca, visits us in summer from the south, its favorite haunts being by streams of water, under or near bridges, in caves, &c. Near such places he sits on a projecting twig, calling out, pe-wée, pe-wittitee, pe-wée, for a whole morning; darting after insects and returning to the same twig; frequently flirting his tail, like the wagtail, though not so rapidly. He is six and a half inches long, of a dusky olive above, lower parts a delicate yellow. On the top of the head the feathers form a loose crest, which is common to many of the family. Other species are the WOOD PEWEE, M. rapax or M. virens, greatly resembling the preceding the SHORT-LEGGED PEWEE FLY-CATCHER, M. phœbe, a rare species, found in Labrador and the Fur Countries: the GREENCRESTED FLY-CATCHER, M. querula, or M. acadica, a small species, keeping to the woods, and little known: the YELLOW-BELLIED FLY-CATCHER, M. flaviventris, found on Long Island: the ARKANSAS FLY-CATCHER, M. verticalis—the chlowu-ish-pil of the Chinnooks-resembling the kingbird in its habits, greenish-brown above and yellow beneath, with a bright red crest; found on the west of the Rocky Mountains: COOPER'S FLY-CATCHER, M. Cooperi, resembling the Pewees, and found in the Atlantic States from Texas to Maine: the ROCKY MOUNTAIN FLY-Catcher, M. nigricans, seven inches long, dark sooty brown above and greenish-white below; found in California and Mexico: TRAILL'S FLY-CATCHER, M. Trailli, resembling the wood pewee, found on the Arkansas: the LEAST PEWEE, M. pusilla, five inches long, found in Labrador and the fur countries: the SMALL-HEADED FLY-CATCHER, M. minuta, found in the Southwestern States; and the AMERICAN REDSTART, M. ruticilla, a very lively and handsome species, six and a half inches long, variegated with red, brown and yellow; found throughout the United States.

THE PHOEBE BIRD.

The SAVANNAH FLY-CATCHER, M. Savana, is fourteen and a half inches long, including the tail,

which is deeply forked, and more than twice the length of the body; the back is ash-gray, the rump bluish-black, wings and tail brownish-black, lower parts white; found in the Southern States. The SWALLOW-TAILED FLY-CATCHER, M. forficata, is eleven inches long, the tail long and forked; upper parts gray, lower parts white before and rose-colored behind. Other species are named as found in Texas, as follows: M. Saya, M. Texensis, M. Laurenti, M. fulvifrons, M. Derhami, M. belli, M. leucomus, M. Brasieri, M. rubifrons.

Genus PTILOGONYS: Ptilogonys.-This includes TOWNSEND'S PTILOGONYS, P. Townsendi, combining somewhat the qualities of the Fly-Catchers and Thrushes; it is eight inches long, of a dull brownish-gray color, and is found on the Columbia River: also the BLACK FLY-CATCHER, P. nitens, figured by Cassin, seven and a half inches long, of a glossy black color, with greenish reflections; found in California, Mexico, &c.: the PIPIRY FLY-CATCHER, P. dominicensis, eight inches long, and resembling the kingbird; found in Florida.

Genus CULICIVORA: Culicivora.-This includes the BLUE-GRAY FLY-CATCHER or GNATCatcher, C. cœrulea, about five inches long, and found abundantly in Texas.

Genus FLUVICOLA: Fluvicola.-This includes several South American species, as the F. comata, F. nigerrima, &c.

Genus MUSCIPETA: Muscipeta.-This includes the KING OF THE FLY-CATCHERS, the Todus regius of Latham, a superb South American species, with a tall transverse crest of reddish-fawn feathers; the body is a deep brown, the breast white spotted with brown. (See p. 123.)

Genus TCHITREA: Tchitrea. This includes the PARADISE FLY-CATCHER of India, T. Paradisi, found in the jungles of India, and though its body is but six inches long, has a tail fourteen inches long; its head is also adorned with a crest.

There are many other species analogous to these we have described in Africa, Asia, and Australia, some having pleasing songs and some only chirping notes.

Genus ICTERIA: Icteria. This includes the YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, I. viridis, seven inches long, greenish-olive above; throat and breast yellow; known as a summer visitor throughout the United States, and remarkable for the oddity of its motions and its singular notes, which sometimes resemble the cries of young puppies, and sometimes the mewing of a cat, these being often prolonged into the night.

THE TITYRINÆ OR BECARDS.

This is a small group of birds, closely allied to the fly-catchers, and peculiar to South America and the West Indies. They have a short bill, broad at the base, and suddenly compressed toward the tip. The GRAY BECARD-the Cayenne Shrike of Latham-Psaris Cayennensis-the type of Cuvier's genus Psaris-is generally gray, with the head, wings, and tail, black; it is found in Guiana.

The genus Langrayen or Ocypterus, consisting of species found in the Asiatic Isles, as well as the genus Artamia, the various species of which are confined to the island of Sumatra, are placed by Le Maout contiguous to the Becards.

These are American birds, differing little from the true fly-catchers, except that they have the tip of the bill more strongly hooked; they also resemble the shrikes a good deal in their habits, preying not only upon insects and berries, but some of them also upon small vertebrate animals, including even fishes. Two species are well known in the United States.

Genus TYRANNUS:—Tyrannus.-The best known species is the KINGBIRD, T. intrepidus, eight inches long, of a slaty ash-color above and white beneath; on the head is a tuft of yellow feathers, capable of being erected into a crest, which circumstance, as well as the despotic authority he exercises over other birds, has given him the names of Kingbird and Tyrant Fly-Catcher. It arrives in small parties in the United States in the month of April; they then soon pair and begin to build their nests. Before very quiet, the male now becomes exceedingly quarrelsome; and such is his fierceness, that hawks and crows, the bald eagle, and even the great black eagle, dread a rencounter with the dauntless little champion. The kingbird feeds on insects, generally sitting on the tops of fences, posts, or mullein-stalks, till opportunity offers, when he darts upon his prey with infallible aim.

The CRESTED TYRANT, T. crinitus, is somewhat larger than the kingbird, and is found in the United States, from Texas northward; the color is greenish-olive above, and sulphur-yellow beneath; the throat and upper part of the breast ash-color; on the head, the dark brown feathers form a sort of crest.

The SPOON-BILL TYRANT, Lanius sulphuratus of Gmelin, found in Brazil, has a large, thick bill, a large head, the upper parts of the body a reddish-brown, the breast yellow, on the top of the head a yellow crest. It is found in Brazil, feeds on butterflies, and is popularly called Bemte-veo, from its habitual cry.

THE ALECTRURINÆ OR COCK-TAILS.

In these birds the bill is broad and depressed at the base, convex toward the point, which is more or less hooked; the nostrils are rounded and exposed; the tail is elongated, compressed, and capable of being raised in a very singular manner, which has caused these birds to be compared to Little Cocks, and the scientific name of Alectrurus applied to the typical genus may, perhaps, be translated Cock-tail. The tarsi are slender,

and the toes armed with long, curved, and acute claws.

These birds are peculiar to South America, and in their general habits resemble the fly-catchers. Many of them perch upon trees and bushes, and thence dash off into the air in pursuit of insects on the wing; others are never seen in the neighborhood of woods, but appear to prefer fields in the vicinity of water, where they rest on the rushes and other aquatic plants. It is in the male only that the great development of the tail above alluded to is seen; the feathers of this part exhibit several peculiarities of structure. The two external feathers have the barbs much broader on one side than on the other, and the two central feathers, which are the most elongated, frequently have the barbs decomposed, and the termination of the shaft naked. They are small birds, the TRI-COLORED ALECTRURUS, A. tricolor, being only six inches long.

THE TURDIDE OR THRUSHES.

This family, the numerous species of which feed on insects, worms, and fruits, and usually move on the ground by hopping with both feet at once, includes several interesting and well-known groups, as the Bulbuls, Orioles, Babblers, True Thrushes, Ant-Thrushes, Warblers, Titlarks, Bush-Creepers, Titmice, Robins, Nightingales, Tailor-Birds, &c.

THE BULBULS.

These birds belong chiefly to India, though a few are found in Africa; their sprightliness renders them general favorites; several species are greatly admired as songsters; they inhabit woods, jungles, and gardens, and feed on fruits and seeds, and occasionally on insects. One species, the Pycnonotus jocosus, is easily tamed and taught to sit on its master's hand. Great numbers may be seen in the bazaars of India. Another species, the Pycnonotus hæmorrhous, is kept for fighting. The under tail-coverts are red, and it is said the combatants endeavor to seize and pull out these feathers. The eggs are three to four in number, of a whitish color, with dark blotches.

THE ORIOLES.

These live in woods and shrubby places, usually in pairs, suspending their nests at the extremities of the branches of trees. The males are generally beautiful birds, a golden-yellow being the predominant color in their plumage. Their food consists of insects and fruits. They are, for the most part, inhabitants of tropical countries; but a single species, the GOLDEN ORIOLE, Oriolus Galbula, (see page 6,) migrates into Europe, in the southern parts of which it is abundant. It is of a bright yellow color, with the wings and tail black; the female is greenish-yellow above, and whitish beneath, with the wings and tail brown. It is about the size of our common robin. Its voice is loud, and has been compared to the sound of a flute; Bechstein says it resembles the word puhlo. The names given to the bird in different European languages are supposed to be, to a certain extent, imitations of its note. The Spaniards call it Turiol, the French Loriot, the English Oriole; and two of the German names are Pirol and Bülow.

The note of some of the Indian species is described as very similar to that attributed by Bechstein to the European bird. A nearly allied species, the MANGO-BIRD or GOLDEN ORIOLE of India, Oriolus Kundoo, is said to have a loud, mellow, plaintive cry, resembling pee-ho, and Mr. Pearson says of the BLACK-HEADED ORIOLE, O. melanocephalus, which is common in Bengal, that it has a monotonous, low note, resembling "one lengthened, full-toned note on the flute,' which is so constantly repeated during the spring that it is a positive nuisance.

Most of the other species of the group resemble the golden oriole, both in character and habits; but one species, the REGENT-BIRD or KING HONEY-EATER, Sericulus chrysocephalus, of Australia, is remarkable for having the tip of the tongue terminated by a pencil of fine filaments like that of the honey-eaters, among which this bird has indeed been placed by some authors. The male is one of the most beautiful of Australian birds; its plumage, which is very glossy and satin-like, is variegated with two colors, deep black and brilliant yellow, the latter tinged with orange in some places. The female is dingy in its appearance. The Regent-Birds are found in the warmer parts of the Australian continent, where they inhabit the recesses of the forests, and appear to be exceedingly shy, feeding upon fruits and seeds. Our beautiful birds, the Baltimore and Orchard Orioles, belong to the Icterina, and will be noticed under that head.

THE BABBLERS.

This group, called Timalinæ, are small, noisy, gregarious birds, belonging to Asia and the Asiatic Islands and Australia; they live exclusively in the forests, feeding on insects; some of the species on fruit. Many of them have a sweet song, and some are excellent imitators of other birds. Some are noted for a singular cry, which resembles a loud human laugh, and this peculiarity has obtained for two or three of the species the names of the Laughing Crow and Laughing Thrush from the Europeans in India. The cry of the LAUGHING THRUSH, Pterocyclus cachinnans, is said by Dr. Jerdon to be a peculiar "sort of cracked Punch and Judy laugh," which is no sooner commenced by one than several others take up the chorus. The Garrulax leucolophus, or Laughing Crow, is also said to produce a sound closely resembling the human laugh. Some of these birds, as, for instance, the BLACK-FACED THRUSH, Garrulax chinensis, are tamed, and are amusing pets. The Malacocircus Malcomi of India is noted for its courage, and the SPOTTED GROUND-THRUSH of Australia, Cinclosoma punctatum-called Ground-Hawk at Hobart Townis greatly esteemed for its flesh.

THE TURDINÆ OR TRUE THRUSHES.

Of these the species are numerous in all parts of the globe; they generally frequent fields and pastures in search of food, but retire to the woods and thickets for security when roosting, and during the breeding season. Their nests are usually very neatly made, composed of grasses, twigs, and moss, frequently lined with a thin layer of mud, within which is another layer of soft vegetable substances for the reception of the eggs. The latter are usually five or six in number, variable in color, but commonly freckled with dark spots. The food of the thrushes consists both of animal and vegetable matters, such as insects and their larvæ, worms, snails, fruits and seeds.

Genus TURDUS: Turdus. This includes numerous migratory species, visiting temperate countries either from the south in summer or from the north in winter, and popularly known for their song and their pleasing habits. Many of them, which are not found in America, are still rendered interesting and familiar to American readers from the constant allusions to them in English literature. One of the best known is the BLACKBIRD, T. merula—the Merle Noir of the French; Mulo of the Italians; and Schwarz Drossel of the Germans; it is about ten inches long, which is nearly the size of the Purple Grakle, which we call Blackbird in this country. Its color is black, the bill yellow; but albinos, entirely white, are sometimes known. It breeds early in the spring, usually forming its nest in a thick bush; the eggs are four or five in number. It frequents hedges, thickets, plantations, and gardens; is shy, restless, and vigilant, and if disturbed takes wing with a cry of alarm. It feeds on larvæ, snails, worms, insects, and fruits. The song is loud and