TYRANT FLYCATCHER, OR KING BIRD. 221 
a Swallow; for lie possesses at will great powers of wing. 
Numbers of tliem 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 plumage. 
Whatever antipathy may prevail against him for depreda- 
tions 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 larvae prey on the harvests of his 
fields, particularly his corn, fruit trees, cucumbers, and pump- 
kins. 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 insects, 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 pos- 
sesses no common share of my regard. I honour 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. 
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 pre- 
judices 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 ? 
