18 THE KINGBIRD'S NEST. 



In regard to his fighting, he has driven many 

 away from his tree, as do all birds, but he never 

 sought a quarrel ; and the only cases of anything 

 like a personal encounter were with the two 

 birds who insisted on annoying him. He is 

 chivalrous to young birds not his own, as will 

 appear in the story of his family. He is, in- 

 deed, usually silent, perhaps even solemn, but 

 he may well be so ; he has an important duty to 

 perform in the world, and one that should bring 

 him thanks and protection inst^d of scorn and 

 a bad name. It is to reduce the number of 

 man's worst enemies, the vast army of insects. 

 What we owe to the fly-catchers, indeed, we 

 can never guess, although, if we go on destroy- 

 ing them, we may have our eyes opened most 

 thoroughly. Even if the most serious charge 

 against the kingbird is true, that he eats bees, 

 it were better that every bee on the face of the 

 earth should perish than that his efficient work 

 among other insects should be stopped. 



