32 BIRDS OF THE PAPAGO SAGUARO NATIONAL MONUMENT. 



The species was fairly common on the Papago Saguaro Monument, 

 but was not encountered on cultivated ground. About Roosevelt 

 Lake it is a common species. At Globe, on July 6, a flock of seven 

 or eight verdins was seen, probably a brood of young, newly emerged 

 from the nest, and still attended by their parents. 



WESTERN KINGBIRD. 

 Tyrannus verticalis Say. 



Recognition marks. Usually seen perched conspicuously on fence 

 post, telephone pole, or other point commanding unobstructed view 

 of the surroundings. About 9 inches long; above, grayish; belly, 

 yellow ; tail, black, narrowly edged with white. 



Occurrence. Kingbirds, of whatever species, are much alike in 

 most of their traits, and the western kingbird lives up to the tradi- 

 tions of his tribe. A king among birds, he may serve as the type of 

 a benevolent despot, for, though not especially quarrelsome with 

 small and harmless birds, he will not tolerate the presence of any 

 threatening hawk or soaring eagle about his home and family. The 

 propensity of the kingbird to drive off such enemies is familiar to 

 most farmers, for the species is fond of nesting about buildings ; in 

 defending its own home it incidentally serves as watchdog for the 

 chicken yard. Were it not for his unfortunate reputation in some 

 sections as a devourer of bees, the kingbird would doubtless receive 

 everywhere unreserved approbation and protection. Popular legend 

 has it (and the tale is repeated in all parts of the country, though on 

 how substantial grounds I can not say) that his crown of red feathers, 

 sometimes revealed and sometimes hidden, serves, when exposed, as a 

 lure for flower-hunting bees, and perhaps for other insects also, who, 

 when attracted within reach by this gaudy, blossomlike bait, are 

 snapped up with a minimum of exertion on the part of the bird. 



Kingbirds are well known to take advantage of the most extraordi- 

 nary nooks and corners for building sites fence posts, swinging 

 gates, or in fact almost any such elevation being utilized in a 

 treeless region ; but in the cultivated parts of the Salt River Valley 

 the western kingbirds were moved with wondrous unanimity to 

 adopt a site that to the human observer seemed singularly unfitted 

 to the purpose. The species has evidently increased greatly in num- 

 bers in those sections now under cultivation, the green alfalfa and 

 cotton fields doubtless supplying a far greater quantity of insect 

 food than the dry desert ; but, even so, there seemed to be trees suffi- 

 cient along the roads to care for the birds' needs without their being 

 driven to the curious expedient they used. 



The poles supporting electric wires through this region are of 

 metal, formed of three uprights tapering to a junction some 50 



