28 LIFE-HISTORIES OF BIRDS 



phalns was the object of its vengeance. The Woodpecker 

 seemed to amuse itself while clinging to a rail, in playing 

 bo-peep with the Kingbird ; while the latter, considerably 

 vexed, made frequent desperate attempts 10 revenge the 

 insult, but without avail. 



This species must be considered songless. Its only notes 

 are a brief succssion of twitterings, which vary in intonation 

 with emotional promptings. 



The flight of the Kingbird, when searching for food, is 

 very peculiar. It flies slowly over the field, moving its pin- 

 ions after the fashion of the Hawks, and sometimes sailing 

 through the atmosphere on motionless wings, in a similar 

 manner. Again, it flies with great celerity, and dives about 

 in the manner of the Hinindiuidce* Its encounters with 

 the Eagle or Hawk, are characterized by great firmness and 

 rapidity of flight. 



The Kingbird is highly insectivorous, feeding forthe greater 

 part upon winged insects. For its wholesale destruction 

 of man's worst enemies, it merits his unstinted praise. But, 

 unfortunately, it lacks the power of discrimination, and de- 

 stroys immense numbers of bees. Its destruction of honey- 

 bees has detracted much from its general behavior and 

 gained for it a bad name in certain localities. Wilson has 

 endeavored to fling a veil over its bad habits, by intimating 

 that its ravages are mostly confined to the drones, the neuters 

 being rarely, if ever, meddled with. Speaking from our own 

 experience, we can say that the Kingbird is no respecter 

 of kinds ; as many, if not more, of the working bees, are 

 destroyed, than of the others. The following insects have 

 been noticed in our numerous stomach-examinations : 

 Caloptenns femur-rubrum, CRdipoda sulphured, CE. 

 nebulosa, AcJieta nigra, (Ecanthus tii~cicu$, Xiphidium 

 fascia t 21 m, Carabus ligatus, Scarites subt erratic us. Pan- 

 giis caliginosus, AUorJiina nitida^ Lachnosterna qucr- 

 c/'/ia. L. hirticula, Diced us dilatatus* Chrysomela caru- 

 ieipennis* Cetojiia hida. Dicerea drcaricaia* Cicindela 



