206 KNOWING BIRDS THROUGH STORIES 



place watching for food and always returning to the same 

 spot when it is caught is one of the characteristics of the 

 flycatcher family. 



Before the first of September the old birds, with both lots 

 of young, gathered in a plum tree one morning, and as soon 

 as they had satisfied their appetites disappeared for the 

 year. The kingbird flies rapidly when he is about his 

 summer's business; but when he starts southward his 

 flight is decidedly different. He flaps his wings three or 

 four times and then sails twenty or thirty feet before 

 flapping again. In this way he rests fully as much as 

 he works and so is able to continue his flight for hours. 

 He flies mostly at night and often stops for a few days 

 at any place that happens to suit his fancy. 



Early the next May Jerry returned with his mate. For 

 a day or two after returning they seemed tired, but when 

 they had had a day or two of rest the old fire and vigor 

 returned. 



We had a watering trough for horses near the June ap- 

 ple tree, and on hot days it was interesting to watch Jerry 

 take his bath. This was the trough in which the Balti- 

 more orioles bathed. Jerry did not bathe like other birds, 

 but perching on a maple limb that hung over the trough he 

 would dive down into the water, going completely under, 

 always alighting and shaking himself dry before taking 

 another dip. Often he would keep this up for fifteen or 

 twenty minutes if the day was a hot one, making thirty or 

 forty plunges before he was satisfied. 



None of the flycatchers have crops. Their food is swal- 

 lowed directly into the stomach. Since they feed largely 

 on insects and as the shells of these insects are not di- 

 gestible, the stomach works them up into little balls 



