KINGBIRD, one of the most familiar rep resentatives in the United States of the tyrant fly-catchers (Tyrannidce). The typical genus is distinguished by the concealed flame-colored crest, attenuate outer primaries and square tail and contains many species. The eastern king bird (Tyrannus carocinen.ris) is found through out the United States, but rarely in the South west or west of the Rocky Mountains• it also enters the British provinces and breeds through out this range; in winter it migrates into Mex ico, Central and South America. It is a plain little bird about eight inches long, nearly black above and quite so on the head, this color there contrasting greatly with the brilliant flame color of the crest, which can be con cealed or erected at will; the tail is tipped with white and the under parts are wholly white. The young lack the highly colored crown. The most distinctive trait of the kingbird is pug nacity, and during the nesting season no bird may come near its home without being attacked and almost invariably routed. Even crows,
hawks and eagles fly before its fearless and vigorous onslaughts. On account of the large gape of the mouth, the spreading bristles at its sides, and the flat, broad bill, the kingbird, in common with related species, is an adept in capturing flying insects, which constitute its almost exclusive food. In some localities it is known as the bee-martin, and has gained a bad reputation as a destroyer of honey-bees, but it destroys a thousand noxious insects for every bee it eats. The nest is a crude, bulky structure saddled in a conspicuous position on a limb or fork usually of an apple-tree, and the eggs are usually rosy White, boldly spotted with brown and lilac. Two additional species of kingbirds are found in the West and two in the South. Consult Wilson, 'American Orni thology) (1834) ; Baird, Brewer and Ridgway, 'History of North American Birds> (1874); 'Birds of the (1874).