ANIMAL BEHAVIOR, WITH EXAMPLES 241 



flight of small neuropterous insects furnished abundant food 

 for the birds. On the walnut tree the dead branches served 

 as perching spots for the birds, and the old birds were ever 

 on the watch. The phoebes would rapidly fly into the air, 

 then abruptly slow their flight while seizing the insects that were 

 now becoming almost invisible to one's ^yes. As they came 

 back, the greedy young were awaiting their supper. In one 

 of the sudden aerial turns in the air, a kingbird startled a downy 

 woodpecker which had gone out foraging on a horizontal hmb 

 of the walnut tree, and he suddenly dived to the underside, 

 keeping his eye carefully on the kingbird, which, of course, 

 did not harm him. This was a busy hour for bird life; every 

 second counted, for the sun was fast going down behind the 

 distant horizon over the lake, and many little bird stomachs 

 must be filled to last over night. With scarcely a moment's 

 rest the parent birds worked until finally they all quieted down 

 to sleep. Then from the edge of the woods came the parting 

 call, pee-wee, and the walnut tree visitors departed for the 

 night. 



