AROUND THE OLD BARN 188 



on the frozen twigs of a tree or thorn bush. Heart of 

 Nature has doubtless taught him this habit through 

 hard experience. Where the Shrike spends his win- 

 ters, the food-supply is variable ; it may snow for days 

 and days, w^hen he can find nothing to eat ; so he has 

 learned to store up provisions when the hunting is 

 good, and of course such a thrifty bird may sometimes 

 save up more than he really needs. 



" You may know this Shrike on sight without hear- 

 ing him sing — and perhaps you do not expect a canni- 

 bal bird to be a singer. But in late March and early 

 April, when he is about to take his homeward journey 

 to the North, he often warbles beautifully, and even 

 brings in some mocking notes, until you would think 

 that a Catbird, Thrasher, or Mockingbird must have 

 wandered from the South too soon ; and if you ever 

 happen to see a Shrike and a Mocker close together, 

 you may mistake one for the other, they look so much 

 alike at a little distance." 



" I never knew that there were nice birds around in 

 winter," said Nat. "I thought all the country was 

 good for then, was for coasting and skating ! I wish I 

 could stay here a whole year. Uncle Roy." 



'' Stranger things have happened," said the Doctor, 

 looking at Olive with a twinkle in his eye that the 

 children did not see. 



The Great Northern Shrike 



Length about ten inches. 



Upper parts bluish-gray, with a broad black stripe along the side 

 of the head to behind the eye. Black wings with a large white spot 

 on each. Black tail with white tips to the outside feathers. 



Lower parts grayish-white, faintly barred with darker. 



