268 INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS. 



endured without much difficulty ; basking, however, like 

 Diogenes, in the feeble beams of the sun, which he fol- 

 lowed round the room of his confinement, well satisfied, 

 when no intruder or companion threw him into the shade ! 

 Some very cold evenings he had the sagacity to retire 

 under the shelter of a depending bed-quilt ; was very much 

 pleased with the warmth and brilliancy of lamp-light, and 

 would eat freely at any hour of the night. Unacquaint- 

 ed with the deceptive nature of shadows, he sometimes 

 snatched at them for the substances they resembled. 

 Unlike the Vireos, he retired to rest without hiding his 

 head in the wing, and was extremely watchful, though not 

 abroad till after sunrise. His taciturnity, and disincli- 

 nation to friendship and familiarity in confinement, were 

 striking traits. His restless, quick, and side glancing 

 eye, enabled him to follow the motions of his flying insect 

 prey, and to ascertain precisely the infallible instant of 

 attack. He readily caught morsels of food in his bill be- 

 fore they reached the ground, when thrown across the 

 room ; and, on these occasions, seemed pleased with 

 making the necessary exertion. He had also a practice 

 of cautiously stretching out his neck, like a snake, and 

 peeping about, either to obtain sight of his food, to watch 

 any approach of danger, or to examine any thing that 

 appeared strange. At length we became so well ac- 

 quainted, that when very hungry, he would express his 

 gratitude on being fed, by a shrill twitter, and a lively 

 look, which was the more remarkable, as at nearly all 

 other times he was entirely silent. 



In a natural state he takes his station on the top of 

 an apple-tree, or a stake, or tall weed, and betwixt the 

 amusement of his squeaking twitter, employs himself in 

 darting after his insect food. Occasionally he is seen 

 hovering over the field, with beating wing, almost like a 



