THE KINGBIRD. 



371 



The food of the Kingbird consists entirely of insects, caught on the wing 

 for the most part, by sallies from some favorite perch. His eyesight must be 

 very good, as he not infrequently spies his prey at distances of from twenty 

 to fifty yards. Honey bees form an occasional but inconsiderable article of 

 diet. Grasslioppers are not overlooked, and they sometimes capture, not with- 

 out a scuffle, those big brown locusts (Melanoplus sp.) which make flippant 

 exposure of their persons on a summer day. Both in the taking of food and 

 in the discharge of police duties the Kingbird exhibits great strengtli and 

 swiftness, as well as grace in flight. Once, when passing in a canoe thru a 

 quiet, weed-bound cliannel, I was (juite deceived for a time by the sight of 

 distant white-breasted birds dashing down to take insects near the surface of 

 the water, and even, occasionally dipping under it. They had all the ease and 

 grace of Tree Swallows, but proved to be Kingbirds practising in a new role. 



This fondness for water is often exhibited in the birds' choice of a nesting 

 site. Where accustomed to civilization, orchard or shade trees are preferred, but 

 on many occasions nests are found on low-swinging horizontal branches over- 

 iianging the water; and. as often, in tiny willow clumps or isolated trees entire- 

 Iv surrounded liy it. The nest of the Kingbird sometimes presents that studied 

 disarray which is (■(>nsi<lered llie heiglit of art. Now and then a nest lias sucli a 

 disheveled ap- 

 pearance as til . ,.-.. . a 

 quite discour 

 age investiga 

 tion, unless 

 the owners 

 presence 1)e 

 trays the se 

 cret of occu 

 pancy. On the f 

 shore of Cold . 

 Spring Lake. H 

 in i)(niglas [.• 

 County, we I 

 noted a last 1 

 year's Bullocls- •- 

 Oriole's ncsi, 

 whicii wouM 

 not have at 

 tracted a sec . 

 ond glance, ^ 

 with the new- 

 er nest hard 



'"^m 



Douglas Couuty. 



Photo by W. K. Datvson. 



COLD SPRING LAKE. 



TIIE ORlOLE-KISr.BlBD NEST APPEARS NEAR THE TOP OF THE PROJECTIN 



