KINGBIRDbD. 
whether he utters his note for any other reason than to 
‘‘keep himself company.” He will frequently feed from 
a bunch of flowers held in the hand, and occasionally 
flies in the house in search of sweets. The reason he 
holds an apparently secure position among a host of 
birds whose size and strength are more than tenfold as 
great as his own, is because he is so absolutely fearless 
and pugnacious. He is a great fighter, and holds his 
own by the point of his bill, Ralph Hoffmann, in Bird 
Portraits, says: ‘‘Though the birds are very irritable 
and pugnacious when wild, frequently attacking each 
other with shrill squeaks, yet in captivity they prove 
very gentle and almost affectionate.” _~ 
ORDER PASSERES. PERCHING BIRDS. 
Family Tyrannide. FLYCATCHERS. 
The Flycatchurs are distinguished for their habit of 
catching insects on the wing; they leave their perch 
and snap up the passing insect with unerring aim. All 
are poor song birds except the Wood Pewee, who has 
exceptional ability in tone expression. There are over 
thirty species in the United States, and less than a third 
of these are common in our part of the country. 
Kingbird The Kingbird is another pugnacious 
ae character. Apparently he spends most of 
tyrannus $ : : ‘ 5 - Et fe 
L. 8.50 inches his time in chasing insects or in driving 
May 15th other birds off his territory. He has a 
good deal of style for a rather plain bird, which is 
evidenced in his crested black head and beautifully 
toned gray-white breast, as well as his dignified if not 
defiant, straight carriage. The upper parts are slate 
gray; smoky black on head and shoulders; tail black, 
tip margined white, a conspicuous mark for identifi- 
cation; an orange-red crown-patch is hidden by the dark 
feathers of the head except when the whole crest is erect; 
under parts dull white tinged ‘with gray on the breast. 
Female similar. Nest, compact and circular, woven of 
grass, moss, weed-stalks, and rootlets, lined with plant- 
down and similar soft material. It is generally situated 
26 
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