THE KING-BIRD. 311 



remounts, that he may descend on his back with the greater 

 violence ; all the while keeping up a shrill and rapid twitter- 

 ing ; and continuing the attack sometimes for more than a 

 mile, till he is relieved by some other of his tribe equally, 

 eager for the contest. 



There is one bird, however, which by its superior rapidity 

 of flight, is sometimes more than a match for him ; and I have 

 several times witnessed his precipitate retreat before this ac- 

 tive antagonist. This is the Purple Martin, one whose food 

 and disposition is pretty similar to his own; but who has 

 greatly the advantage of him on wing, in eluding all his at- 

 tacks, and teasing him as he pleases. I have also seen the 

 red-headed woodpecker, while clinging on a rail of the fence, 

 amuse himself with the violence of the King-bird, and play 

 bo-peep with him round the rail, while the latter, highly irri- 

 tated, made every attempt as he swept from side to side to 

 strike him, but in vain. All this turbulence, however, van 

 ishes as soon as his young are able to shift for themselves 

 and he is then as mild and peaceable as any other bird. 



But he has a worse habit than all these ; one much more 

 obnoxious to the husbandman, and often fatal to himself. 

 He loves, not the honey, but the bees ; and, it must be con- 

 fessed, is frequently on the look-out for these little industrious 

 insects. He plants himself on a post of the fence, or on a 

 small tree in the garden, not far from the hives, and thence 

 sallies on them as they pass and repass, making great havoc 

 among their numbers. His shrill twitter, so near to the 

 house, gives intimation to the farmer of what is going on, 

 and the gun soon closes his career forever. Man arrogates 

 to himself, in this case, the exclusive privilege of murder ; and 

 after putting thousands of these same little insects to death, 

 seizes on the fruits of their labor. 



The King-birds arrive in Pennsylvania about the twentieth 

 of April, sometimes in small bodies of five and six together, 

 and are at first very silent, until they begin to pair, and build 

 their nest. This generally takes place about the first week 

 in May. The nest is very often built in the orchard, on the 



