io8 BIRD-LAND ECHOES. 



chology of these "frail children of the air" so 

 graphically described by Scudder. But these breaks 

 in the monotonous routine of a wood-pewee's life are 

 not many, otherwise I fear the poor bird would col- 

 lapse. Though never idle, it is always methodical, 

 and evidently abhors haste, perhaps hurrying a 

 little more than usual when the beautiful nest is 

 finished a mossy cup upon the upper side of a 

 straight, outreaching branch and there are three or 

 four mouths to fill besides its own. This additional 

 care does not lessen the singing, even for a time, and 

 the dreamy pe-a-wee continues to be heard long 

 after the nestlings have tested their wings. Up to 

 the very date of the pewee's departure it derives 

 abundant satisfaction from its drawling song, and I 

 listen with regret only when I fear that it is the last 

 time I shall hear it until spring comes again. 



Very different is the wood-pewee's cousin, the 

 doughty kingbird. Here we have a flycatcher that 

 is not retiring in its disposition ; a bird of the open 

 air ; one that feels it has a right in the world and 

 has the courage of its convictions. A lively bird 

 that mostly squeaks, if moved to express itself, 

 though it can sing in a humble way, it is said ; but 

 it makes amends for all vocal deficiencies by an ex- 

 hibition of all the excellent qualities of bird-nature. 

 A little too quarrelsome, perhaps ; certainly so in the 

 minds of crows and the larger hawks ; but from our 

 stand-point this is a source of amusement, we not 

 being directly interested. It is a little strange that 

 most people love to witness a fight, whether among 



