THE BIRDS’ WATCHMEN 259 
and both of them delight in policing the neigh¬ 
borhood for birds of prey, crows and blue jays. 
They hate these rascals for the cowardly, sneak¬ 
ing thieves that they mostly are, and Mr. King¬ 
bird likes nothing better than to establish him¬ 
self in some tall tree, or other high vantage point, 
from which he keeps a sharp lookout at all times, 
excepting when obliged to quit his post and take 
a turn at the nest while his mate gets a brief rest 
as she wings the air for her food. 
“ Nothing is more valuable in the poultry yard 
than a pair of kingbirds. They hate a hawk, and 
woe to one of these chance prowlers which ven¬ 
tures into their precinct! They are upon him in¬ 
stantly, alighting on his back and pecking him 
unmercifully about the head and neck, until he is 
glad to turn about and flee for his life. King¬ 
birds are often to be seen among the cattle in the 
pasture policing the backs of the cows for the 
miserable gadflies which cause them so much trou¬ 
ble. Ninety per cent of the kingbird’s food is 
composed of meat,—beetles, grasshoppers, wasps, 
spiders and butterflies being highly relished. 
He has also been accused of a fondness for bees, 
and bee-keepers regard the bee-martin, as he is 
called, with a baleful eye. Good authorities, 
however, maintain that the bird eats nothing but 
drones. This being true, he is really of service in 
the apiary.” 
