128 BIRD PARADISE 



share of the flycatcher's attention, but it is not 

 quite so sharp-edged as that which he bestows 

 upon the oriole. How the diminutive body bears 

 the stroke of his abrupt call all day long without 

 being utterly worn out is a problem. In the 

 realm of our innumerable flies the flycatcher does 

 himself honor and performs a work that cannot 

 be overvalued. I have a notion that the fellow's 

 eye can detect a fly that is too minute for the 

 human sight to discover. I have watched them 

 many times and was quite sure from the snapping 

 of the bill that the flies were passing in goodly 

 numbers, though I was not able to see any of 

 them. As a scavenger of the air our small friend 

 shows a redeeming trait that goes far in restoring 

 him to the good graces of the parson. 



Tuesday was a very perfect spring day. Its 

 warmth and beauty lured the parson to a long 

 walk far afield. The first sign of creature life 

 that I saw were m3rriads of small flies that 

 seemed to have just entered upon the journey of 

 life. There were many species and all intensely 

 active. I had the notion that once well out in 

 the fields I should get entirely clear of the com- 

 mdn house-fly, but the fact was that I only 



