FAMILY Tyrannldm. 



at the fork of a branch and near its extremity, from fif- 

 teen to twenty-five feet above ground. Egg, white with 

 sepia brown specks. The range of the bird is pretty 

 nearly throughout North America, from New Bruns- 

 wick and Manitoba southward. 



The Kingbird has no song, but he has some conver- 

 sational ability of a limited though stridulous character. 

 It is not difficult to place the tone of his voice on the 

 musical staff, although there is not a bit of music in that 

 tone. His remarks as he stands on some high perch 

 commanding a wide outlook are a trifle monotonous: 

 Ker-rip, ker-rip, quirp, each with a rising inflection, 

 and then Ker-r-r-r, ker-r-r-r, ker-r-r-r, in a decidedly 

 burred or double-tone note, which may be imitated by 

 humming and whistling simultaneously. The music 

 should appear about like the following, though it should 

 be remembered a single tone with a shifting pitch, and 

 that, too, not a musical tone, is all one hears: 



Twice 8vd jj>-s^ ,rix->^ ~*\ AA/W AAA/V AA/W 



2 



Ker-rrp, her- rip, quirp, ker-r-r ker-r-r ker-r-r! 



An old apple-tree is a favorite resort of the Kingbird, 

 and in this the nest is frequently built within plain sight. 

 The male bird stands guard over the premises, and woe 

 to the individual who wings his flight that way; it 

 usually means a chase to the bitter end. I have fre- 

 quently seen the Kingbird chase a Crow for a quarter of 

 a mile, because the latter dared to fly within the limits of 

 the orchard. He is, indeed, as his name would imply, 

 the Tyrant Flycatcher, though he is not a tyrannical 

 husband; for it is as plain as day he treats his mate with 

 the utmost consideration, guarding the nest with assidu- 

 ous care while she is away in search of food. I have 

 never seen him assist in building a nest, or in the domes- 

 tic cares involved with the brooding period, but he is 

 afterward very attentive in feeding the young. Olive 

 Thorne Miller writes: "While his mate is sitting and 

 possibly at other times he indulges in a soft and very 

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