130 TYRANT FLYCATCHER. 



moves restlessly around him, traces the flight of an insect for a moment 

 or two, then that of a second, and even a third, until he perceives one 

 to his liking, when with a shrill sweep he pursues, seizes it, and returns 

 to the same spot again, to look out for more. This habit is so con- 

 spicuous when he is watching the bee-hive, that several intelligent 

 farmers of m}" acquaintance are of opinion that he picks out only the 

 drones, and never injures the working bees. Be this as it may, he cer- 

 tainly gives a preference to one bee, and one species of insect, over 

 another. He hovers over the river, sometimes for a considerable time, 

 darting after insects that frequent such places, snatching them from the 

 surface of the water, and diving about in the air like a Swallow ; for 

 he possesses at will great powers of wing. Numbers of them are fre- 

 quently seen thus engaged, for hours together, over the rivers Delaware 

 and Schuylkill, in a calm day, particularly towards evening. He bathes 

 himself by diving repeatedly into the water from the overhanging 

 branches of some tree ; Avhere he sits to dry and dress his plumage. 



Whatever antipathy may prevail against him for depredations on the 

 drones, or if you will, on the bees, I can assure the cultivator, that this 

 bird is greatly his friend, in destroying multitudes of insects whose 

 larvae prey on the harvests of his fields, particularly his corn, fruit 

 trees, cucumbers, and pumpkins. These noxious insects are the daily 

 food of this bird ; and he destroys, upon a very moderate average, some 

 hundreds of them daily. The death of every King-bird is therefore an 

 actual loss to the farmer, by multiplying the numbers of destructive in- 

 sects ; and encouraging the depredations of Crows, Hawks, and Eagles, 

 who avoid as much as possible his immediate vicinity. For myself, I ■ 

 must say, that the King-bird possesses no common share of my regard. 

 I honor this little bird for his extreme affection for his young ; for his 

 contempt of danger, and unexampled intrepidity ; for his meekness of 

 behaviour when there are no calls on his courage, a quality which even 

 in the human race is justly considered so noble ; 



" In peace there's nothinpr so becomes a man 

 As modest stillness and humility ; 

 But when the blast of war," itc, &c. 



but above all, I honor and esteem this bird for the millions of ruinous 

 vermin which he rids us of; whose depredations, in one season, but for 

 the services of this and other friendly birds, would far overbalance all 

 the produce of the bee-hives in fifty. 



As a friend to this persecuted bird, and an enemy to prejudices of 

 every description, will the reader allow me to set this matter in a some- 

 what clearer and stronger light, by presenting him with a short poetical 

 epitome of the King-bird's history? 



