. Birds of America;. Birds -- North America. FLYCATCHERS 197 course, as plain as a pike-stafF — the snake skin is employed deliberately by the bird to frif,'litcn its enemies away from its nest. But who are the bird's natural enemies? Cliieflv certain Hawks. Courtesy ^A Am. Mus. Xat. Hist. CRESTED FLYCATCHER (J nat. size) Famous for its curious habit of weaving a snake skin into its nest and Owls, and various other nest-robbing birds like the Crow, Blue Jay, Cuckoo, and Catbird, in addition to red squirrels and snakes. Now, no Hawk or Owl which preys upon birds is afraid of a snake; in fact, s
. Birds of America;. Birds -- North America. FLYCATCHERS 197 course, as plain as a pike-stafF — the snake skin is employed deliberately by the bird to frif,'litcn its enemies away from its nest. But who are the bird's natural enemies? Cliieflv certain Hawks. Courtesy ^A Am. Mus. Xat. Hist. CRESTED FLYCATCHER (J nat. size) Famous for its curious habit of weaving a snake skin into its nest and Owls, and various other nest-robbing birds like the Crow, Blue Jay, Cuckoo, and Catbird, in addition to red squirrels and snakes. Now, no Hawk or Owl which preys upon birds is afraid of a snake; in fact, snakes are killed and eaten by most of these birds. The other feathered nest-robbers mentioned would be afraid of a live snake, but why should they fear a fragment of dried snake skin? It is exceedingly doubtful if they w'ould even recognize it as the sometime covering of an enemy. .-Xnd the same applies to the red squirrel; while it seems a bit improbable, to say the least, that a snake would be much ter- rified by the skin of one of its own kind. Furthermore, what right have we to suppose that this particular bird, and this one alone, knows that other birds are afraid of snakes; that it alone is capable of the intellectual process which would prompt this deliberate deception ? For no other bird does the same thing, or anything like it. And finally, how could the snake skin, in part or even in whole, certainly have this effect, since the nest, in which it is often so interwoven as to be almost invisible even in a strong light, is al- ways placed in a cavity where there is little light or none at all ? Xo. we do not know why this bird follows this peculiar [jractice. There is no ajiparent good reason for it; most likely it does not besjjeak any design whatsoever, but, as Mr. Burroughs says, reflects simply a wliini or fancy. Yet all who know this Flycatcher well prob- ably will admit that there is a suggestion of the uncanny al)out him. His characteristic call, a discordant an
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