408 FLYCATCHERS. 



at this season I have seen the Spotted Sandpiper drive away a 

 pair of Kingbirds because they happened to approach the 

 premises of her nest. But he now becomes, on this important 

 occasion, so tenacious of his rights as readily to commence the 

 attack against all his feathered enemies, and he passes several 

 months of the summer in a scene of almost perpetual contest ; 

 and not overrating his hostile powers, he generally finds means 

 to come off with impunity. Eagles, Hawks, Crows, Jays, and 

 in short every bird which excites his suspicion by its inten- 

 tional or accidental approach, are attacked with skill and 

 courage ; he dives upon the heads and backs of the larger 

 intruders, who become so annoyed and tormented as willingly 

 to make a precipitate retreat. He pursues his foes sometimes 

 for a mile ; and at length, assured of conquest, he returns to his 

 ■ prominent watch-ground, again quivering his wings in gratula- 

 tion, and rapidly uttering his shrill and triumphant notes. He 

 is therefore the friend of the farmer, as the scourge of the pil- 

 ferers and plunderers of his crop and barn-yard. But that he 

 might not be perfectly harmless, he has sometimes a propensity 

 for feeding on the valuable tenants of the bee-hive ; for these 

 he watches, and exultingly twitters at the prospect of success 

 as they wing their way engaged in busy employment ; his quick- 

 sighted eyes now follow them, until one, more suitable than the 

 rest, becomes his favorite mark. This selected victim is by 

 some farmers believed to be a drone rather than the stinging 

 neutral worker. The selective discernment of the eyes of 

 this bird has often amused me ; berries of different kinds, held 

 to my domestic Kingbird, however similar, were rejected 

 or snatched as they suited his instinct, with the nicest 

 discrimination. 



As the young acquire strength for their distant journey, they 

 may be seen in August and September assembling together in 

 almost silent, greedy, and watchful parties of a dozen or more, 

 feeding on various berries, particularly those of the sassafras 

 and cornel, from whence they sometimes drive away smaller 

 birds, and likewise spar and chase each other as the supply 

 diminishes. Indeed, my domestic allowed no other bird to 



