KING BIRD. 405 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



Nests, placfitl in trees, rather bulky structures, composed of grass, weeds, of which the common ever- 

 Instiu^r usudlly furm the greater part, ami roots, lined with fine grass and rootlets. Dimensions, external 

 diameter, 4. ;";(), internal, '2^ 50. External depth, 2 ."id. internal, I".")'!. 



Eggs, fiurto five in number, oval in form, pale-buff in color, spotted and blotched irregularly with um- 

 ber and lil c. Dimensions, from I'OUxTSto ■is.'txri."). 



HABITS. 



About the second -week in May, -when the advancing vegetation has given assurance 

 that the cold season has fairly passed, the peculiar, shrill, continuous cries of the King 

 Birds are lieard in the open fields and orchards of New England. Tlie males arrive first 

 and with aeliaraceristic promj^tness whicli this s[)c'ciesever display.s each individual selets 

 some paticuhir spot as a lionie and guards it with great assiduity. A few days later the 

 females arrive and both soon begin the duties of nest Iniilding. The KingBird in certain 

 districts appear to prefer particular kinds ol" trees in which to place their domiciles. Thus 

 in some sections it is quite dilHcult to iind a nest which is not built in a buttonwood. In 

 other localities the birds select apple trees, wliile in some places they show a predilection for 

 bu.shes which overhang the water. Tliey never build in close assemblies for in no case 

 ^vill one pair allow anotlier to settle very near them, but they sometimes exhibit a decdi- 

 ed inchnation to sociability by building in detached communities. When family aflfairs 

 are fairly under way, and the female is silting, the male redoubles his watchfulness but 

 when the young appear both parents guard the vicinity of the nest with the most jealous 

 care. Then, all such enemies to small birds as Crows and Hawks are obliged to exercise 

 care when passing near a King Bird's nest, for upon the appearance of one of these birds 

 he is instantly attacked with a fury that cannot l)e resisted, fen- the King Bird is both 

 jiowerful and agile. I have seen an unibrtnnate Crow which was merely Hying over an 

 orcliard In which a pair of these irascible birds had a home, assailed and not only driven 

 from the spot but pursued for half a mile. 



The boldness of the King Birds is noticable and their att.acts even to species much 

 ]ar<'er tlian theinsidves is no triilint:; matti-r, for thev do not, like many other birds under 

 siniilai- ciicnmstances, merely dash at tlie object of their dislike and pass it without touch- 

 ing it, but they strike so hard with their sharp beaks as to frecpiently make the feathers 

 11 y. At any rate I nin'er saw a Crow or Hawk but what would retreat as hastily as possi- 

 l)le, their usnial plan being to ri.se very high in the air, thus escaping the peisecutions of 

 the persistant little tyrants. Even cats are ignominiously driven from the field by the brave 

 King Birds. Cats are very cowardly when they are obliged to encounter any danger 

 which they do not understand and I once saw one badly frightened by a Chipping Sparrow. 

 This particular animal was notably brave and would seldom retreat before a dog, but in 

 the case in hand the Sparrow alighted directly upon her head as she was about to spring 

 upon its young, chirping loudly, at the same time picking her ears fiercely. The Cat 

 was com])letely mystified by this strange proceeding and instantly ran away, shaking 

 lierhead as she ran, thus dismcnmting the bird. The downward swoops of the Flycatchers 

 which are alwavs accompanied by loud screams judiciously delivered by the birds at the 



