238 USEFUL BIRDS. 
a food supply that the birds placed their nest on the post, 
as the most accessible nesting place in thie midst of plenty. 
Other similar instances have been recorded. 
The notes of this bird consist of a series of shrill and 
varied twitters, somewhat resembling those of a Swallow. 
In spring it often mounts into the air, and, rising high, fre- 
quently falls for a distance and then recovers itself, twit- 
tering fiercely all the time, as if engaged with an imaginary 
antagonist. It appears to be pursuing insects, which it some- 
times follows to considerable heights, and having a frolic at 
the same time. In warm weather it will sometimes plunge 
into the water, and, rising again, shake its plumage like a 
Fish Hawk. 
The Kingbird, although primarily a feeder on flying insects, 
can adapt itself to the pursuit of.other food. In flying about 
it often takes insects by skimming and fluttering 
over water, or by picking them from the grass 
or trees. After the severe rainstorm of June, 
1903, when the air was swept clear of all flying 
insects by torrents of rain, Mr. Outram Bangs 
a even saw Kingbirds picking up from the ground dead 
nies or dying insects. 
They sometimes alight on plowed lands, and pick up grubs 
and myriapods; they will also eat wild berries and seeds. 
Very large beetles are taken, such as May beetles and 
Cetonias, as well as some of the beneficial tiger 
beetles and ground beetles. Weevils of both 
grain and fruit, click beetles, grasshoppers and 
crickets, wasps, wild bees, ants, and flies are 
prominent among the food materials of this 
bird. Among the flies taken are house flies 
and several species that trouble cattle; but sie i tee 
smaller insects, like mosquitoes, gnats, and beetle, natural 
midgets, are not ignored. Leaf hoppers and *”* 
many other bugs are taken; and a great variety of cater- 
pillars, mostly of the hairless species, are eaten or fed to the 
young. ‘This bird is destructive te moths of many kinds, 
among them the gipsy moth. In two and one-half hours 
seven of these birds were seen to take seventy-nine male and 
