370 



THE KINGI'.Ikl). • 



"V^. 



edged lictiise. a featliercil Dmi Carlos, nnist needs s|)enil a fretliil life in de- 

 fense of his claims Toward those who knuckle down tamely the little tyrant 

 is often very gracious, and it may he conceded that he does ]K'rforni a real 

 service in holding the common enemies at hay. Who has not seen him as he 

 c|uits his perch on some commanding tree and hurries forward, cluiking with 

 vengeful utterance, to meet and chastise some murderous hawk, who hefore 

 any other foe is brave? Down comes the avenger! The Hawk shies with a 

 guttural cry of rage and terror, while a little jniff of feathers scatters on the 

 air to tell of the tyrant's success. Again and again the quick punishment 

 f.djs. luiiil the tiny scourge desists, and returns, shaking with shrill laughter, 



to give his mate 

 ' accoimt of 

 adventure. 

 It is easily 

 1 "ssible, how- 

 ' ( r, to exag- 

 ■ rate the pug- 

 ity of the 

 iighird, or to 

 ■fr from ex- 

 rine examples 

 i!iat all are 

 uarrelsome. It 

 i^ not unusual 

 (■■V Kingbirds 

 1' he on the 

 !" 'I of terms 

 h their im- 

 : .'.diate neigh- 

 bors, thieves al- 

 ways excepted. 

 I once found in 



one small aspen tree at Chelan the nests of three hinls each containing eggs, 

 viz., a Robin, an Oriole. an<l a Kingbird. The two latter were within five 

 feet of each other. Dr. I'>rewer also records an exactly similar case. King- 

 bird's courage, which is unf|uestionable. is often tempered by prudence; 

 altho at other times it (juite overbalances his better judgment. The Hur- 

 rowiiig Owl will tolerate none of his m^nsense. and I have .seen the 

 birds make sad mistakes in molesting these virtuous mousers. The 

 sight of a Shrike will make a Kingbird shrink into the smallest possible 

 compass, while Catbirds, too. are said to be, for \.ilid reasons, quite 

 exempt from molestation. 



rholo fr> F. S. Mrrrill. Taken near Sfoiant. 



\ nF.MUKr: vouxr. tyrant. 



