PHCEBE 87 



acter. A curious case of nest guardianship is 

 told me by Mrs. G. C. Maynard, whose son one 

 day climbed a Kingbird's tree to look at the eggs. 

 The old birds flew at his head so angrily that he 

 had to get his hat to protect himself. When he 

 appeared a second time, after the birds thought 

 they had driven him off, and coming shielded by 

 a hat which rendered their attacks futile, the 

 Kingbirds were overwrought; and although the 

 boy did nothing but look at their eggs, from that 

 time on they could not bear the sight of that hat. 

 Whenever the lad passed with it on, they would 

 fly at him ; and one day, when his mother snatched 

 it up as she hurried to the orchard, although they 

 were quite accustomed to her visits to their tree, 

 they swooped down and actually struck the 

 offending head-covering with their wings. 



Phoebe : Sayornis phcebe. 



Upper parts grayish brown ; under parts white, washed with 

 yellowish. Length, about 7 inches. 



GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION. Eastern North America ; breeds 

 from South Carolina to Newfoundland and Manitoba, and 

 winters from North Carolina to Cuba and Mexico. 



The Phoebe, like the Robin, is one of the homely, 

 confiding birds for whom we have a peculiar affec- 

 tion. Like the Robin, she often comes about our 

 houses and builds her nest in a crotch of the 

 piazza, as if putting her brood under our protec- 

 tion. Though she may not be as neat a house- 

 keeper as some, her presence is such a valuable 



