THE KINGBIRD 
THE swallows and swifts spend hours on the wing, turning to 
the right or to the left, upward or back, in pursuit of winged 
insects. Many other birds, notably the warbler family, take occa- 
sional flights after some insect which they have startled from the 
leaves. The habits of another large family of birds, the Flycatchers, 
are a compromise between these two methods of obtaining food. 
Selecting some post of observation, such as a dead limb, a fence, 
or the stalk of a stout weed, they wait patiently, keeping a sharp 
watch of the air about them. At sight of an insect flying near, they 
fly out in pursuit. If one is near enough to the bird, a click of 
its bill will announce the fate of the insect. The Flycatchers then 
return to the same or a neighboring perch. 
The family is not, on the whole, very good-humored; in fact, 
they might justly be accused of irritability and pugnacity. The 
Kingbird, in particular, the head of the house, is noted for his 
constant attacks on any winged creature that approaches his nest. 
It must be admitted, however, that when nesting time is over, he 
lives very peaceably with his neighbors; but while the female is 
brooding the eggs or young, the excited cry of the male is constantly 
heard, and every Crow that comes in sight is pursued, sometimes 
for a mile. The Kingbird gets above his victim and darts down at 
its head; the Crow can be seen wincing at each vicious jab of the 
bill. One or two observers have actually seen the Kingbird ride 
on the Crow’s back for some distance. The Kingbird has a patch 
of red concealed under the black feathers of his crown; when he 
