The birds, no more than the animals, like to be caught napping; but I remember, one autumn day, of coming upon a red-eyed vireo that was clearly oblivious to all that was passing around it. It was a young bird, though full grown, and it was taking its _siesta_ on a low branch in a remote heathery field. Its head was snugly stowed away under its wing, and it would have fallen an easy prey to the first hawk that came along. I approached noiselessly, and when within a few feet of it paused to note its breathings, so much more rapid and full than our own. A bird has greater lung capacity than any other living thing, hence more animal heat, and life at a higher pressure. When I reached out my hand and carefully closed it around the winged sleeper, its sudden terror and consternation almost paralyzed it. Then it struggled and cried piteously, and when released, hastened and hid itself in some near bushes. I never expected to surprise it thus a second time. The fly-catchers are a larger group than the vireos, with stronger-marked characteristics. They are not properly songsters, but are classed by some writers as screechers. Their pugnacious dispositions are well known, and they not only fight among themselves but are incessantly quarreling with their neighbors. The king-bird, or tyrant fly-catcher, might serve as the type of the order. The common pewee excites the most pleasant emotions, both on account of its plaintive note and its exquisite mossy nest. The phœbe-bird is the pioneer of the fly-catchers, and comes in april, sometimes in march. It comes familiarly about the house and out-buildings and usually builds beneath hay-sheds or under bridges. The fly-catchers always take their insect prey on the wing, by a sudden darting or swooping movement; often a very audible snap of the beak may be heard. These birds are the least elegant, both in form and color, of any of our feathered neighbors. They have short legs, a short neck, large heads, and broad, flat beaks, with bristles at the base. They often fly with a peculiar quivering movement of the wings, and when at rest oscillate their tails at short intervals. There are found in the United States nineteen species. In the Middle and Eastern districts, one may observe in summer, without any special search, about five of them, namely, the king-bird, the phœbe-bird, the wood-pewee, the great-crested fly-catcher (distinguished from all others by the bright ferruginous color of its tail), and the small green-crested fly-catcher.