50 EVERYDAY BIRDS 



trick of flying straight up in the air, almost per- 

 pendicularly, as if he were trying to see how near 

 he could come to performing that impossible feat, 

 and then tumbling about madly, with noisy out- 

 cries. 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. All in all, he is a very lively and 

 entertaining customer. 



His nest is built in a tree, often in an orchard, 

 and is comparatively easy to find. The birds 

 arrive in New England in the first week of May, 

 having passed the winter in Central or South 

 America, and remain till the end of August. 



Like most birds, they are very punctual in 

 their coming and going. No doubt they have 

 an almanac of their own. You will do well to 

 find one of them in Massachusetts after the first 

 two or three days of September. 



Toward the end of their stay, flycatchers 

 though they are, they feed largely upon berries. 

 I have seen a dozen in one small dogwood bush, 

 all eating greedily. 



