TTRANNUS INTREPIDUS — THE KING BIRD. 281 



rather cabruptly attenuated near the ends, the attenuated 

 portion not linear, however; head with a concealed patch 

 of red on the crown. 



Tyrannus Intrepidus, Viellot. — King Bird. 

 Audubon's Birds of America, Octavo edition, I., plate 56. 



This is the Muscicajya tyrannus of Audubon's Ornithol- 

 ogy, and the T. Carolinensis of Baird. We prefer, how- 

 ever, the name given by Viellot as more appropriate, inde- 

 pendent of its priority. It is not more plentiful in the 

 Carol inas than in other States, and these peculiarly local 

 names are objectionable, unless when given to a species 

 entirely or nearly limited in its range to the locality after 

 which it is designated. 



Few of our smaller birds are so extensively distributed 

 over the country as this. It is found during the summer 

 in every State east of the Rocky Mountains, extending into 

 Canada and around Hudson's Bay. Over all this region it 

 is a summer visitant only, retiring in the fall to Central 

 America and Mexico. A few winter occasionally in the 

 south part of Florida and Texas. 



Every farmer's boy knows the King Bird. Its character 

 for bravery is undoubted, and, were it not for its habit of 

 devouring the honey bee, it would be looked upon by all 

 as a friend, and receive, instead of persecution, protection. 

 To those who do not keep bees this bird is a friend. He 

 protects the farm yard from the assaults of every species 

 of rapacious bird. Should hawk, eagle or crow dare ap- 

 proach the vicinity of his nest, he rushes to the combat, 

 and, assailing his foe with the greatest impetuosity, soon 

 obliges it to beat a retreat. The size, strength or valor of 

 the enemy is nothing, our active and indomitable champion 

 attacks him at every weak point, until the more bulky 

 antagonist is glad to leave the field defeated. The hawk 

 lacks opportunity to carry off a chicken if a pair of King 

 Birds have their nest near by, for the male is always on 



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