172 WASTE-LAND WANDERINGS. 



saw several kingbirds in tlie branches of the trees on the 

 creek bank, and heard the harsh screaming of the great 

 crested flj^catcher. Others of the tribe were heard, and 

 one wood-peewee came from the woods and perched 

 directly above me. 



Perhaps, when purple martens were abundant, we had 

 professional bee-eaters among us, but of this I am by no 

 means certain. Dr. Brewer calls the kingbird a " bee 

 martin," and has much to say of their being a pest where 

 honey is a desideratum of the farmers. 



'No kingbird, while I was there, saw fit once to capt- 

 ure a bee, or even to fly among them. If they do 

 so, how can we be sure it is a bee that is captured ? 

 Other insects swarm in the same localities, as I found 

 to-day, and might not these be sought as food, in prefer- 

 ence to the busy honej^-gatherers ? Wilson went so far 

 as to say that the kingbirds fed only upon drones ; but 

 is it likely that a kingbird's vision is sufiiciently acute 

 to recognize drones from workers when they are flying? 



I have found more than one bee-tree in my rambles, 

 and always have looked out for bee-eating birds in their 

 vicinity, but the kingbirds do not frequent the forests 

 much ; and the great crested flycatcher, although much 

 more of a forest -dwelling species, never appeared to 

 haunt the neighborhood of bee -trees. Kingbirds, no 

 doubt, are willing to feed on bees, but that they prefer 

 them to other forms of insect life is probably too rash a 

 statement. 



It was not far from here, in April, 1872, that a beauti- 

 ful scissor-tail flycatcher was taken. It was a male, in 

 full health and feather, weighing two and one-half ounces 



