The Birds' Calendar 



on a prominent point of a bush or tree, from 

 which they suddenly dart forth and snap up an 

 insect (sometimes several in succession) that is 

 in the air, and, after more or less manoeuvring 

 on the wing, returning to their post of observa- 

 tion to wait for the next morsel that comes 

 in sight. Many other birds, like vireos and 

 warblers, can be seen at times collecting their 

 food in the same manner. 



Tropical America, where insect-life is most 

 abundant, is the home of nearly all the species 

 of flycatchers. Out of nearly three hundred 

 clearly denned varieties in the New World, only 

 thirty are to be found in North America, and 

 most of these the least attractive as regards 

 plumage. Mexico, Central America, and Brazil 

 show many beautiful species, fork-tailed, black 

 and white, yellow and crimson, rivalling the 

 warblers in their brilliant attire ; and in their 

 graceful manoeuvrings in pursuit of their help- 

 less prey, they are the very daintiest combina- 

 tion of poetry and murder imaginable. 



The phcebe, though comparatively small 

 (about sevfen inches long), is quite a conspicuous 

 object, from its prominent position at the tip- 

 end of a leafless branch, and is most likely to 

 be found in the vicinity of water, where even 



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