Despotes, Reichenbach, Avium Syst. Naturale, 1850 (in part).
Milvulus forficatus (tail abnormal).
7374 ♀
Sp. Char. Bill shorter than the head, and nearly equal to the tarsus. Tail nearly twice as long as the wing, excessively forked; the middle feathers scarcely half the lateral. First primary abruptly attenuated at the end, where it is very narrow and linear. Head with a concealed crest of red.
This group is distinguished from Tyrannus by the very long tail, but the two species assigned by authors to North America, although agreeing in many respects, differ in some parts of their structure. The peculiarities of coloration are as follows:—
M. forficatus. Whitish-ash above; rump black. Tail-feathers rose-white with black tips; shoulders, axillars, and belly light vermilion. Hab. Middle America, and open portions of Texas, Indian Territory, etc.; accidental in New Jersey.
M. tyrannus.[64] Head above and tail black; the latter edged externally with white. Back ashy. Beneath pure white. Hab. Middle America, accidental in Eastern United States.
Milvulus tyrannus, Bon.
FORK-TAILED FLYCATCHER.
Muscicapa tyrannus, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 325. Milvulus tyrannus, Bonap.Geog. List, 1838.—Audubon, Synopsis, 1839, 38.—Ib. Birds Am. I, 1840, 196, pl. lii.—Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 168.—Caban. Journ. 1861, 251.—Scl. List, 1862, 237.—Finsch, P. Z. S. 1870, 572 (Trinidad; considers violentus, tyrannus, and monachus as identical). Despotes tyrannus, Bonap. Comptes Rendus, 1854, 87. Tyrannus savana, Vieillot, Ois. Am. Sept. I, 1807, 72, pl. xliii.—Swainson, Mon. Ty. Shrikes; Quarterly Jour. XX, Jan. 1826, 282. Muscicapa savana, Bonap. Am. Orn. I, 1825, 1, pl. I, f. 1.—Aud. Orn. Biog. II, 1834, 387, pl. clxviii. Milvulus savanus, Gray, List, 1841. Tyrannus milvulus, Nuttall, Man., (2d ed.,) I, 1840, 307. Fork-tailed Flycatcher, Pennant, Latham. Tyran a queue fourchue, Buffon pl. enl. 571.