The Kingbird in a New Role. — The following note is from the pen of 
my friend, the Rev. Frank W. Ritchie, who has courteously permitted me 
to publish it. 
“On the afternoon of June 15, 1SS4, I was walking near the bank of the 
Massawipi River when my attention was drawn to a pair of Crow Black- 
birds by their cries of evident distress, and, upon looking to see the cause 
of the outcry, observed, in a tree near by, a Crow with an almost fully 
fledged Blackbird dangling from its beak. In a few moments afterwards 
the Crow started across the river, the parents of its victim in hot pursuit, 
and when about midway the stream was charged upon by a Kingbird with 
such vigor that the young Blackbird was released, and half fell, half 
fluttered in a slanting direction toward the shore, the Kingbird following, 
and by flying under and against the youngster was evidently endeavoring 
to assist it in reaching the shore. Some bushes intervened between me 
and the birds, as they approached the water, and though I rushed down 
quickly, to observe the end of this interesting scene, by the time I reached 
the edge of the bank the birds had disappeared. As I could see nothing of 
the young bird’s body floating on the water, I concluded that the King- 
bird had succeeded in its generous endeavor.” — Montague Chamberlain, 
St. John, N. B. Auk, 2, Jan., 1886. p , /OB 
The Crown of the Kingbird. 
In connection with the current discussion in your natural 
history columns in regard to the use of the coronal decora- 
tion of the Kingbird and other species, permit me to quote 
from a paper written by me in January, 1883, and published 
in the July number (of that year) of the “Journal of the 
Cincinnati Society of Natural History,” viz.: “A List of the 
Birds of Bardstown, Nelson County, Kentucky.” 
“107*. Tyrannus carolinensis (L.) Temm. — Kingbird ; 
Bee Martin. An abundant Summer resident ; arrives April 
20th. Several years ago, in May, I saw one of these birds 
occupying an exposed perch on a Pear tree in bloom, about 
which many bees were darting. Several times I observed 
that he caught the insects without leaving his perch, by quick- 
ly turning his head and grabbing them. My attention being 
thoroughly aroused, I noticed that many of them seemed to 
fly directly toward the bird, the majority appearing to ‘shy 
off’ a short distance from him and change their courses, 
but very few escaped him. Did the thrifty Ilymenopterce 
mistake the fully displayed crimson crown for a flower ? 
Once since I have observed the same phenomenon.” 
In a recent edition of this paper, entirely rewritten, how- 
ever, published during September by the Kentucky Geo- 
logical Survey (a copy of which I forward to you), the fol- 
lowing additional remarks are added, page 33 : 
“Mr. C. C. Nutting, who has spent considerable time 
studying the birds of Costa Rica and Nicaragua in their 
native haunts, states that he has seen Muscivora mexicana 
perched upon a twig and waving its curious and brilliant 
fan-shaped crest after the manner of a flower swayed by a 
gentle breeze, and thus attracting insects within reach.” — 
C. W. Beckham in “ Forest and Stream .” 
O.&O. X. Nov. 1885 . p. 1 * 76 , 
was so vigorously attacked in turn that he was forced to 
the situation bMs ma6turs of 
O.& O. X. Oct. 1885. p. /6 o 
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