372 The Phoebe 



in a cave near the nest while the birds went about their daily affairs. 

 He says: 



"The female one day spent the greater part of the time in her nest ; 

 she frequently changed her position ; her mate exhibited much uneasiness, 

 he would alight by her sometimes, sit by her side for a moment and sud- 

 denly flying out would return with an insect, which she took from his 

 bill with apparent gratification. About three o'clock in the afternoon, 

 I saw the uneasiness of the female increase ; the male showed an unusual 

 appearance of despondence, when, of a sudden, the female rose to her 

 feet, looked sidewise under her, and flying out, followed by her attentive 

 consort, left the cave, rose high in the air, performing evolutions more 

 curious to me than any I had seen before. They flew about over the 

 water, the female leading her mate, as it were, through her own mean- 

 derings. Leaving the Pewees to their avocations, I peeped into their 

 nest, and saw there their first egg, so white and so transparent that to 

 me the sight was more pleasant than if I had met with a diamond of 

 the same size." 



Very often the Phcebe rears two broods of young in a year. In such 

 cases the first nest is rarely used a second time. Their nests are often 

 infested with insects that must render the lives of the young very uncom- 

 fortable; in fact they are sometimes killed by the attacks of these para- 

 sites. 



Few birds are greater insect-eaters. One need only watch a Phoebe 

 a few minutes to become convinced of this fact. True Flycatcher that 

 he is, the bird lies in wait for his prey. His watch- 

 se tower is some dead limb or stake. Here he sits, fre- 



quently jerking his tail nervously and calling in his 

 petulent, impatient way until some insect comes flying along. Then out 

 he darts, seizes his prey in his beak, and returns to his perch. 



Phcebes eat many beetles, weevils, grasshoppers, and wasps, as well 

 as flies that bite and sting cattle. A few seeds are eaten and the bird 

 eats also an occasional cherry, elderberry, or other wild fruit. It is 

 among the first birds to arrive in spring, and is the only Flycatcher in 

 the United States that spends the winter north of the frost-line. It may 

 be seen in Florida, Louisiana, and other southern states in the winter. 



Classification and Distribution 



The Phoebe belongs to the Order Passer es, the family Tyrannida (Tyrant Fly- 

 catchers), and the genus Sayornis. Its scientific name is Sayomis phoebe. It breeds 

 throughout all the United States and southern Canada, east of the dry plains as far 

 north as New Brunswick, northern Manitoba and northern Alberta, and as far 

 southwest as eastern New Mexico; and winters in the Gulf States and southward 

 to southern Mexico. 



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