NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 103 



courage to defend them against the attacks of enemies, as the 

 former. Since it breeds usually in out-of-the-way situations, it 

 can give farmers and others but little anno^^ance. Its period of 

 incubation is similar to that of Americanaa. 



Family TYRANNID^. 



Tyrannus Carolinensis, Baird. 



The Bee Martin, shortly after its arrival in the latter pai't of 

 April, commences building. Its nest is ordinarily constructed 

 upon the forked branches of a pear tree in an orchard, or in close 

 proximity thereto. Why the pear tree should be selected in 

 preference to any other, the apple and cherry for examples, it is 

 difficult to imagine, unless the density of its foliage, and the short 

 spine-like twigs with which the branches are armed, afford greater 

 protection ; the former from the keen gaze of rapacious birds, and 

 the latter from mischief-seeking and mischief-loving boys. It is 

 usually built near the top of the tree where the denser foliage is 

 found. Occasionally, I have taken nests of this species in places 

 remote from orchards, on the confines of thick forests, a fact which 

 seems to intimate that the habit of building in orchards is an 

 acquired one, brought about in obedience to a change of character 

 in the species. As it has a passion for the little Apis mellifica 

 whose hives are found in such situations, there is no doubt that a 

 desire to be near such articles of luxury raa^' have prompted a 

 change, thereby saving unnecessary waste of time in procurement, 

 and giving a better guarantee of success. It is true that the 

 species is proverbial for its pugnacity and pertinacity, not even 

 fearing to attack birds of pre}'^ which come within the precincts of 

 the ground over which it exercises sway, and, therefore, the 

 securities which a pear tree throws around are not absolutely 

 necessary. But birds of the least sagacity would not be slow to 

 perceive the advantage which would be gained b}- the selection of 

 such a site, in the saving of great physical labor. In the vicinity 

 of forests these protective objects are in a measure denied, the 

 birds in consequence making up in braverj^ Perhaps a vivid 

 sense of greater danger to their young induces them to give them 

 the advantage of everything protective that wisdom and ingenuity 

 can devise. There is one feature about the nests which have been 

 found in regions unoccupied by man that has not been observed 

 in those adjoining his residence : the entire absence of feathers 



