FRIENDS IN FEATHERS 



is interesting, but if you ever read that they utter musical notes 

 or make any sound approaching song, lay the statement to over- 

 enthusiasm on the part of the writer. If any male bird ever 

 sings, he does at mating and nesting time. The illustration of 

 this chapter is only a small part of the Kingbird history I have 

 recorded photographically, while I have been familiar with the 

 bird all my life. The year following the taking of these pictures a 

 pair of Kingbirds came into the village, courted, nested and 

 hatched their young in a bell-flower apple-tree at the Cabin, 

 opposite the back door, so that I saw them constantly and 

 heard most of the sounds they made. I listened by the hour 

 while the courting, building and brooding was in progress, but 

 I heard neither musical notes nor connected song. When it 

 comes to music they belong in the same class with the Shrike. 



KIXGBIRD YOUNG 



240 



