. Report on the birds of Pennsylvania : with special reference to the food habits, based on over four thousand stomach examinations. Birds. 188 BIRDS or PENNSYLVANIA. neig-libors. Whenever a hawk or crow is observed flying", even at a con- siderable distance, this little warrior immediately starts in pursuit, and by his rapid flig-ht speedily overtakes the object of his wrath and utter- ing- almost continually his sharp and rapid twitter, is seen to mount above his adversary and make repeated and \aolent assaults on the head of his flying victim, who, fn^quently, to escape further persecu
. Report on the birds of Pennsylvania : with special reference to the food habits, based on over four thousand stomach examinations. Birds. 188 BIRDS or PENNSYLVANIA. neig-libors. Whenever a hawk or crow is observed flying", even at a con- siderable distance, this little warrior immediately starts in pursuit, and by his rapid flig-ht speedily overtakes the object of his wrath and utter- ing- almost continually his sharp and rapid twitter, is seen to mount above his adversary and make repeated and \aolent assaults on the head of his flying victim, who, fn^quently, to escape further persecution, makes a precipitate retreat to a tree, buslies or the ground. The nest, a rather l)ulk.\ and loosely made structure, is composed of grasses, weeds, roots, etc., and is built generally on the limb of an apple or pear tree in an or- chard ; sometimes, however, nests are placed in oak and other trees. It is built by the joint laboi- of both birds, who complete this work in about five days. The eggs, usually four or five in number, are creamy-white spotted conspicuously with different shades of brown and indistinct spots of bluish-gray. The eggs vary orj-eatly in size; a large one measures an inch in length and three-fourths of an inch in width. The period of incuba- tion is about fourteen days. From his favorite perch either on a stake, the top of a tree or a hig"h weed in the field, the Kingbird watches for his insect prey: at other times he is observed flying over a field in a manner similar to that of the Sparrow Hawk, watching for grasshoppers, crickets or other insects. As Wilson observes, he sometimes hovers over a river or pond, darting after insects that frequ(?nt such jilaces, snatch- ing them from the surface of the water, and diving about in the air like a swallow. Som(^ few years ago I saw a Kingbird dart down to the water in a shallow pond and fly oft' witli a sliining object in his bill, that at the time I thought appeared like a smjdl fish, but never havi
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1890
