THE KINGBIRD 



did not make an exposure at all, merely worked around the nest, 

 taking the young from it and setting them on my fingers, or the 

 closest twigs, then with the utmost caution not to frighten or 

 hurt them into the impulse to flight, I put them back. By that 

 time I had made such friends with the Kingbirds that I began 

 taking people with me, one at a time, and leaving them under 

 the closest tree to watch how I could fellowship with the tyrants 

 of the orchard, for that is exactly what they were. The Vireo 

 and Song Sparrow were sorely afraid of them, the Cat-birds 

 flew wildly when the old Kingbirds intimated it would be 

 better that they should; the Doves and Brown Thrush kept out 

 of their way, the Blackbirds never stopped to quarrel, neither 

 did the Shrike; I marvelled at that, surely they are bigger and 

 stronger; while they have a worse reputation as fighters; but they 

 did not fight the Kingbirds, although their nest was not far away 

 across the road, and they hunted in the orchard. Without hesi- 

 tation the Kingbirds attacked the Crows, flying above and pick- 

 ing their heads and eyes, while one day Molly-Cotton and I saw 

 them chasing a big Hawk across the sky in the same fearless 

 manner. 



That was the day we secured our great picture. While 

 making friends with the old birds I sat for hours under the bell- 

 flower where I could see the nest plainest and watched each 

 smallest detail of Kingbird family life. I knew what they fed 

 their young, how they hunted and prepared their prey, cleaned 

 their nests, and conducted themselves toward each other. One 

 thing I especially noticed, because it was of much help to me in 

 my work. As in so many other cases these birds each had a 

 route, always the same, by which they came to and left the nest 

 in feeding. They did most of their hunting on the grasses of 

 the orchard often taking small moths on wing in air. In carrying 

 food to the young the hen invariably arose to the tip-top twig 



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