236 THE INVITATION. 



siesta on a low branch in a remote heathery field 

 Its head was snugly stowed away under its wing, and 

 it would have fallen an easy prey to the first hawk 

 that came along. I approached noiselessly, and when 

 within a few feet of it paused to note its breathings, 

 BO much more rapid and full than our own. A bird' 

 1 has greater lung capacity than any other living thing, 

 hence more animal heat, and life at a higher pressure. 

 When I reached out my hand and carefully closed it 

 around the winged sleeper, its sudden terror and con- 

 sternation almost paralyzed it. Then it struggled 

 and cried piteously, and when released, hastened and 

 hid itself in some near bushes. I never expected to 

 surprise it thus a second time. 



The fly-catchers are a larger group than the vireos, 

 with stronger-marked characteristics. They are not 

 properly songsters, but are classed by some writers 

 as screechers. Their pugnacious dispositions are well 

 known, and they not only fight among themselves but 

 are incessantly quarreling with their neighbors. The 

 king-bird, or tyrant fly-catcher, might serve as the 

 type of the order. 



The common pewee excites the most pleasant emo- 

 tions, both on account of its plaintive note and its 

 exquisite mossy nest. 



The phcebe-bird is the pioneer of the fly-catchers, 

 and comes in ApriL, sometimes in March. It comes 

 familiarly about the house and out-buildings and usu- 

 ally builds beneath hay-sheds or under bridges. 



The fly-catchers always take their insect prey OF 



