THE KINGHBLRD. 313 



together, over the rivers Delaware and Schuylkill, in a calm 

 day, particularly towards evening. He bathes himself by 

 diving repeatedly into the water from the overhanging 

 branches of some tree ; where he sits to dry and dress his 

 plumage. 



Whatever antipathy may prevail against him for depreda- 

 tions on the drones, or if you will, on the bees, I can assure 

 the cultivator, that this bird is greatly his friend, in destroy- 

 ing multitudes of insects whose larvae prey on the harvests of 

 his fields, particularly his corn, fruit trees, cucumbers, and 

 pumpkins. These noxious insects are the daily food of this 

 bird ; and he destroys, upon a very moderate average, some 

 hundreds of them daily. The death of every King-bird is 

 therefore an actual loss to the farmer, by multiplying the 

 numbers of destructive insects ; and encouraging the depre- 

 dations of crows, hawks, and eagles, who avoid as much as 

 possible his immediate vicinity. 



As a friend to this persecuted bird, and an enemy to preju- 

 dices of every description, will the reader allow me to set this 

 matter in a somewhat clearer and stronger light, by presenting 

 him with a short poetical epitome of the King-bird's history ? 



Far in the south, where vast Meragnon flows, 

 And boundless forests unknown wilds enclose ; 

 Vine-tangled shores, and suffocating woods, 

 Parch'd up with heat, or drown 'd with pouring floods ; 

 Where each extreme alternately prevails, 

 And Nature sad their ravages bewails : 

 Lo ! high in air, above those trackless wastes, 

 With Spring's return the King-bird hither hastes ; 

 Coasts the fam'd Gulf,* and from his height explores, 

 Its thousand streams, its long indented shores, 

 Its plains immense, wide op'ning on the day, 

 Its lakes and isles where feather'd millions play ; 

 All tempt not him ; till, gazing from on high, 

 COLUMBIA'S regions wide below him lie ; 

 There end his wanderings and 1m wish to roam, 

 There lie his native woods, his fields, his home ; 

 Down, circling, he descends, from azure heights, 

 And on a full-blown sassafras alights. 

 * Of Mexico. 



