. New England bird life: being a manual of New England ornithology; . 50 ; tail, 3.50 ; bill, less than i.oo. No one of the Flycatch-ers is more abundant inNew England than thistyrant, nor is any one ofthem so conspicuous afigure on the highwaysand in the by-ways alike.The spirited creature is dis-persed over all our country,and therefore characteristicof no faunal area; but, inits local distribution, it ismost numerous in cultivated and populous regions, sothat the greater number of individuals in New Englandis constantly under the eye of man, whose regard is re-turned with cool audacity and
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. New England bird life: being a manual of New England ornithology; . 50 ; tail, 3.50 ; bill, less than i.oo. No one of the Flycatch-ers is more abundant inNew England than thistyrant, nor is any one ofthem so conspicuous afigure on the highwaysand in the by-ways alike.The spirited creature is dis-persed over all our country, and therefore characteristicof no faunal area; but, inits local distribution, it ismost numerous in cultivated and populous regions, sothat the greater number of individuals in New Englandis constantly under the eye of man, whose regard is re-turned with cool audacity and entire self-reliance. Thevehement twittering, with which the King-bird expressesthe turbulent passions it feels, is one of the commonsounds of the orchard, old field, and road-side, whereverthe bold bird perches with martial bearing in wait for itsprey, or nervously dashes in the air on quivering pinion tocapture the passing insect, or put an enemy to rout. Thenotes have been likened to those of Swallows, but theyare harsher, and pitched in a higher key. During the. Fig. 3. — King-bird. l6 TYRANNIDyE : FLYCATCHERS. mating season few birds, if any, make more noise thanthe King-bird, and none are more restless, —some un-easy spirit seeming to urge this valiant knight to inces-sant deeds of daring, till one might fancy it ready to tiltagainst a windmill if nothing else offered. After theanimated contests of the pairing season, when severalambitious males, with questionable judgment, quarrel forthe privilege of securing a vixenish partner, — afterthese tournaments are over, one would think that peacemight reign; but the King-birds life is mostly passed inguerilla warfare with every bird that ventures too near, even if it be a Crow, Hawk or Owl, many times itssuperior in all things excepting audacity. Brooking nointrusion or division of kingdom, the courageous birddeserves its title, and by right of conquest wears theinsignia of royalty, — tyrant by name and nature, andliteral