Kingb ird . Bee-Martin 



It has an interesting and unusual method of bathing. 

 Instead of standing in shallow water and dipping itself 

 like other birds, it flies from its perch directly into the 

 stream, dashing the water over its back, returning to its 

 place and repeating the performance several times. 



PARKHURST. The Birds' Calendar. 31 



Every country boy has laughed to see the kingbird 

 chasing a crow. And a very lively and pleasing sight it 

 is; the crow making for the nearest wood as fast as his 

 wings will carry him, and one or two kingbirds in hot 

 pursuit. Their great aim is to get above him and swoop 

 down upon his back. Sometimes you see one actually 

 alight upon a crow's back and, as boys say, "give it to 

 him" in great style. 



Another taking action of the kingbird is his trick of 

 flying straight up in the air, almost perpendicularly, as 

 if he were trying to see how near he could come to per- 

 forming that impossible feat, and then tumbling about 

 madly, with noisy outcries. Often it looks as if he actually 

 turned somersaults. He cannot sing and so has to let 

 his high spirits bubble over in these half-crazy gymnastics. 



TORREY. Every Day Birds. 18 



He will often be seen hovering over a weed in a meadow, 

 his fluttering wings supporting him so well that he seems 

 to be hanging in air. 



FLORENCE A. MERRIAM. Birds of Village and Field. 1 

 84 



