ON TREES AND BIRDS. 



147 



When first observed in the morning, at the first glim- 

 mer of daylight, a phoebe was always found flitting 

 from rock to rock, although it was so dusky that the 

 bird could hardly be seen. This activity was kept up 

 all day. Even after supper was eaten and it was so 

 dark that notes were written by the aid of the camp 

 fire, the phoebe was still engaged at his work of insect 

 collecting, though it was difficult to understand how it 

 could catch insects when there was scarcely light 

 enough to see the bird. It may not have been the same 

 bird that worked from dawn to dusk, but there was 

 some individual of the species always busy ; and an ex- 

 ploration of the stream up and down showed that every 

 portion of it was patrolled by a phoebe, and that each 

 one apparently did not range over more than 12 or 13 

 rods of water, and that some times two or three would 

 be seen near together. 



PHCEBE. 



