130 
TYRANT FLYCATCHER. 
moves restlessly around him, traces the flight of an insect for a moment 
or two, then that of a second, and even a third, until he perceives one 
to his liking, when with a shrill sweep he pursues, seizes it, and returns 
to the same spot again, to look out for more. This habit is so con- 
spicuous when he is watching the beediive, that several intelligent 
farmers of my acquaintance are of opinion that he picks out only the 
drones, and never injures the working bees. Be this as it may, he cer- 
tainly gives a preference to one bee, and one species of insect, over 
another. He hovers over the river, sometimes for a considerable time, 
darting after insects that frequent such places, snatching them from the 
surface of the water, and diving about in the air like a Swallow ; for 
he possesses at will great powers of wing. Numbers of them are fre- 
quently seen thus engaged, for hours together, over the rivers Delaware 
and Schuylkill, in a calm day, particularly towards evening. He bathes 
himself by diving repeatedly into the water from the overhanging 
branches of some tree ; where he sits to dry and dress his plumage. 
Whatever antipathy may prevail against him for depredations on the 
drones, or if you will, on the bees, I can assure the cultivator, that this 
bird is greatly his friend, in destroying multitudes of insects whose 
larvas prey on the harvests of his fields, particularly his corn, fruit 
trees, cucumbers, and pumpkins. These noxious insects are the daily 
food of this bird ; and he destroys, upon a very moderate average, some 
hundreds of them daily. The death of every King-bird is therefore an 
actual loss to the farmer, by multiplying the numbers of destructive in- 
sects ; and encouraging the depredations of Crows, Hawks, and Eagles, 
who avoid as much as possible his immediate vicinity. For myself, I 
must say, that the King-bird possesses no common share of my regard. 
I honor this little bird for his extreme affection for his young ; for his 
contempt of danger, and unexampled intrepidity ; for his meekness of 
behaviour when there are no calls on his courage, a quality which even 
in the human race is justly considered so noble ; 
"In peace there's nothing so becomes a man 
As modest stillness and humility ; 
But when the blast of war," &c, &c. 
but above all, I honor and esteem this bird for the millions of ruinous 
vermin which he rids us of; whose depredations, in one season, but for 
the services of this and other friendly birds, would far overbalance all 
the produce of the bee-hives in fifty. 
As a friend to this persecuted bird, and an enemy to prejudices of 
every description, will the reader allow me to set this matter in a some- 
what clearer; and stronger light, by presenting him with a short poetical 
epitome of the King-bird's history '? 
