THE TYRANT FLYCATCHER.-KING BIRD. 207 



large rivers and lakes, sailing and dashing about in pursuit of insects. Again, 

 gliding down towards the water, he drinks in the manner of various species 

 of Swallow. When the weather is very warm, he plunges repeatedly into 

 the water, alights after each plunge on the low branch of a tree close by, 

 shakes off the water and plumes himself, when, perceiving some individuals 

 of his tribe passing high over head, he ascends to overtake them, and bidding 

 adieu to the country, proceeds towards a warmer region. 



The King Bird leaves the Middle States earlier than most other species. 

 While migrating southwards, at the approach of winter, it flies with a strong 

 and continued motion, flapping its wings six or seven times pretty rapidly, 

 and sailing for a few yards without any undulations, at every cessation of the 

 flappings. On the first days of September, I have several times observed 

 them passing in this manner, in detached parties of twenty or thirty, perfect- 

 ly silent, and so resembling the Turdus migratorius in their mode of flight, 

 as to induce the looker-on to suppose them of that species, until he recog- 

 nises them by their inferior size. Their flight is continued through the 

 night, and by the 1st of October none are to be found in the Middle States. 

 The young acquire the full colouring of their plumage before they leave us 

 for the south. 



The flesh of this bird is delicate and savoury. Many are shot along the 

 Mississippi, not because these birds eat bees, but because the French of 

 Louisiana are fond of bee-eaters. I have seen some of these birds that had 

 the shafts of the tail-feathers reaching a quarter of an inch beyond the end of 

 the webs. 



This bold Flycatcher is not satisfied with ranging throughout the United 

 States, but extends its migrations across the continent to the Columbia River, 

 and, according to Dr. Richardson, northward as far as the 57th parallel, 

 where it breeds, arriving in May, and departing in the beginning of Septem- 

 ber. I have found it breeding in the Texas, on the one hand, in Labrador 

 on the other, and in all intervening districts, excepting the Florida Keys, 

 where it is represented by the Pipiry Flycatcher. I have never seen it dive 

 after fish, or even after aquatic insects, although, as I have already mention- 

 ed, it throws itself into the water for the purpose of bathing; nor have re- 

 mains of fishes been found in its stomach or gullet. Like all Flycatchers, it 

 disgorges the harder parts of insects. 



How wonderful is it that this bird should be found breeding over so vast 

 an extent of country, and yet retire southward of the Texas, to spend a very 

 short part of the winter! Some, however, remain then in the southern por- 

 tions of the Floridas. The eggs measure rather more than an inch in length, 

 and six and a half eighths in breadth; they are broadly rounded at the larger 

 end, the other being suddenly brought to a sharpish conical point. 



