BIRDS OF MANY FAMILIES 217 



The silent flight of the Butcher Bird is usually 

 low, but as he alights he turns upward to a high 

 perch where he may overlook the surrounding 

 landscape. His food consists of mice, lizards, 

 grasshoppers, beetles, and small birds of 

 many kinds. Frequently he kills more prey 

 than his immediate needs demand and the sur- 

 plus he impales on thorns or barbed wire fence, 

 or hangs in the crotch of a limb, for future 

 use. His sudden appearance in a flock of small 

 birds causes great consternation and there is 

 quick seeking of cover. Oftentimes he catches 

 several from a single family and the bird chorus 

 is sadly lessened. The fact that he is a consist- 

 ent foe of the English Sparrow has led some 

 bird writers to condone his faults, and they 

 also plead his cause because of the great 

 number of insects and vermin he destroys. No 

 doubt, much as we regret his killing of our 

 songsters, he does much more good than harm 

 and should be encouraged, rather than destroyed. 

 I confess it has not always been easy for 

 me to refrain from using harsh measures 

 when this marauder in gray appears on the 

 lawn, watching furtively the flock of Song Spar- 

 rows playing about the vines. But I am con- 

 strained to believe he is on the whole beneficial. 



The Northern Shrike has a harsh, squally cry, 

 *'yor^^, " and in the mating season they sing a 

 song of considerable merit that has been likened 

 to the melody of the Catbird. Only once have 

 I heard this and I was quite surprised at the 

 excellence of the effort, for I had never attached 

 the gift of song to this cruel bird. They nest in 



