56 



AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



and five being the number most often found; they are creamy white 

 handsomely specked and spotted with reddish brown and blotched with 

 lavender and gray. Size .95x.70. 



HABITS. 



Was ever a bird more aptly ::umed, a king by name, by nature and, 

 if we may consider the little orange patch on the head as a crown, in 

 dress. To be sure their feathers are of a sombre hue, but any plain- 

 ness in attire is more than offset by their vivacious manners, for they 

 are very active and pugnacious and even more fitting than their common 

 name is the scientific one of tyrannus. They are faithful allies to their 

 friends — swift, sure and relentless pursuers of those who incur their 

 displeasure. Without fear they will attack birds of many times their size 

 and drive them away; Hawks, Crows and Jays flee from them in appar- 

 ent terror. Their method of attack is always the same, — darting down 

 at the enemy from above as if they were going to tear him to pieces. 

 While it is very improbable that they ever do any injury to the larger 

 birds that they attack, it is strange that none of them ever attempt to 



NEST AND EGGS OF KINGBIRD. 



