KINGBIKD 217 



6. What looks like brown decayed leaves and con- 

 fervas from the dried bottom of the riverside, mixed 

 with the everlasting-tops internally in the solid bottom. 



7. Some finer brown root-fibres, chiefly between the 

 lining of No. 6 and hair and the coarser fibres of 

 No. 3. 



8. A dozen whitish cocoons, mixed with the ever- 

 lasting-tops and dangling about the bottom peak ex- 

 ternally ; a few within the solid bottom. Also eight or 

 ten very minute cocoons mixed with these, attached in 

 a cluster to the top of an everlasting. 



9. A few black much branched roots (?) (perhaps 

 some utricularia from the dried bottom of river), mixed 

 with Nos. 2 and 3. 



10. Some horsehair, white and black, together with 

 No. 5 forming the lining. 



There are also, with the cocoons and everlasting- 

 tops externally, one or two cotton-grass heads, one 

 small white feather, and a little greenish-fuscous moss 

 from the button-bush, and, in the bottom, a small shred 

 of grape-vine bark. 



Aug. 5, 1858. [The black willows on the river- 

 banks] resound still with the sprightly twitter of the 

 kingbird, that aerial and spirited bird hovering over 

 them, swallow-like, which loves best, methinks, to fly 

 where the sky is reflected beneath him. Also now from 

 time to time you hear the chattering of young blackbirds 

 or the link of bobolinks there, or see the great bittern 

 flap slowly away. The kingbird, by his activity and 

 lively note and his white breast, keeps the air sweet. 

 He sits now on a dead willow twig, akin to the flecks 



