LANIID^E THE SHRIKES. 197 



perch it sinks nearly to the ground, describing a curve as it descends 

 and passing but a few feet above the surface, ascends in the same 

 manner to the object on which it next alights. The flight is per- 

 formed in an undulating manner, the bird sustaining itself a- short 

 time by a rapid fluttering of the wings, and sinking as this motion 

 is temporarily suspended. While flying, the white patch on the 

 wing is very conspicuous. 



The very bulky nests of this species are usually placed in thorny 

 trees or in those having a dense canopy of vines. At Mount Carmel, 

 however, I have frequently found them in apple trees. They are 

 composed largely of wool and feathers. When built in young trees 

 of the honey locust, where it is an absolute impossibility to reach 

 them by climbing, they are often poked from their position out of 

 spite, by the "small boy" with poles or fence-rails. 



