268 
TYRANT FLYCATCHER. 
in the air like a Swallow; for he possesses at will great powers 
of wing. Numbers of them are frequently 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 plu- 
mage. 
Whatever antipathy may prevail against him for depredations 
on the drones, or if you will, on the bees, I can assure the cul- 
tivator, that this bird is greatly his friend, in destroying mul- 
titudes of insects whose larvae 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 de- 
stroys, 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 com- 
mon share of my regard. I honour this little bird for his extreme 
affection for his young; for his contempt of danger, and unex- 
ampled 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 humihty; 
" But when the blast of war,” &c. &c. 
but above all, I honour 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 preju- 
dices of every description, will the reader allow me to set this 
matter in a somewhat clearer and stronger light, by presenting 
him with a short poetical epitome of the King-bird’s history? 
