374 



THE WESTERN KINGBIRD. 



ness. The boisterous greeting is one-third concern for his babies in the locust 

 tree hard-bv, one-third good fellowship, and tlie remainder sheer restlessness. 

 The Western Kingbird is preeminently a social creature. And by social in this 

 case we mean, of course, inclined to human society. For, altho the bird may start 



up with vociferating 

 cries every time a 

 member of the be 

 sieged household sets 

 foot out of doors, 

 one is reminded by 

 these attentions rath- 

 er of a frolicsome 

 puppy than of a zeal- 

 ous guardian of the 

 peace. Those who 

 have been most hon- 

 ored by their pres- 

 ence year after year 

 claim that the birds 

 become fond of cer- 

 tain members of the 

 family, and allow a 

 familiarity in nest 

 inspection w h i c li 

 would be shriekingly 

 resented in the case 

 of strangers. 



One can readil}' 

 guess a utilitarian 

 consideration in fa- 

 vor of ranch life, 

 viz., the greater va- 

 riety and abundance 

 of insects afiforded. 

 Of these the King- 

 birds enjoy a practi- 

 cal monopoly by rea- 

 son of their confi- 

 dence in man. They are fond of flies, moths, butterflies, crickets, winged 

 ants, and all that sort of thing. Moreover, they eat bees. But, — [Hold on, 

 Mr. Rancher! Don't grab that shot-gun and begin murdering Kingbirds] 

 they cat onl\ drones. A bee-keeper in California was curious on this point 





Taken in Douglas County. 



photo by the Author 



''BEAUTIES THEY ARE.' 



