266 
TYRANT FLYCATCHER. 
self of his merciless adversary. But the King-bird is not so 
easily dismounted. — He teases the Eagle incessantly, sweeps 
upon him from right and left, remounts, that he may descend 
on his back with the greater violence; all the while keeping up a 
shrill and rapid twittering; and continuing the attack sometimes 
for more than a mile, till he is relieved by some other of his 
tribe equally eager for the contest. 
There is one bird, however, which by its superior rapidity 
of flight, is sometimes more than a match for him; and I have 
sevei'al times witnessed his precipitate retreat before this active 
antagonist. This is the Purple Martin.^ one whose food and 
disposition is pretty similar to his own; but who has greatly the 
advantage of him on wing, in eluding all his attacks, and teasing 
him as he pleases. I have also seen the Red-headed Woodpecker, 
while clinging on a rail of the fence, amuse himself with the 
violence of the King-bird, and play ho-peep with him round the 
rail, while the latter, highly irritated, made every attempt as 
he swept from side to side to strike him, but in vain. All this 
turbulence, however, vanishes as soon as his young are able to 
shift for themselves; and he is then as mild and peaceable as 
any other bird. 
Rut he has a worse habit than all these; one much more ob- 
noxious to the husbandman, and often fatal to himself. He loves, 
not the honey, but the bees; and, it must be' confessed, is fre- 
quently on the look-out for these little, industrious insects. He 
plants himself on a post of the fence, or on a small tree in the 
garden, not far from the hives, and thence sallies on them as 
they pass and repass, making great havock among their numbers. 
His shrill twitter, so near to the house, gives intimation to the 
farmer of what is going on, and the gun soon closes his career 
for ever. Man arrogates to himself, in this case, the exclusive 
privilege of murder; and after putting thousands of these same 
little insects to death, seizes on the fruits of their labour. 
The King-birds arrive in Pennsylvania about the twentieth 
of April, sometimes in small bodies of five and six together, 
and are at first very silent, until they begin to pair, and build 
