518 HISTORY OF THE 



and decidedly waved below, as in that species; but the size and other characters 

 are distinctive. {Coues.) 



stretch of 



Iris dark brown; bill, legs, feet and claws black. 



I have occasionally met with these birds in Florida, usually 

 about the settlements and natural openings or clearings in the 

 woodlands, but, as my observation is confined to the winter 

 months, I take pleasure in quoting from "Birds of Illinois" 

 Mr. Ridgway's interesting description of their habits, etc.: 



"It is partial to those more open localities where there are 

 hedgerows or plenty of low, tiiorny trees, preferable the honey 

 locust {GleditscMa triacanthos)^ wild crab apple, or trees of like 

 character. These seem indispensable to its presence, for the 

 reason that the slender, sharp-pointed thorns are required for 

 impaling its prey, and the matted, impenetrable covert for con- 

 cealment or protection of its nest. 



"N6twitlistanding the fact that this species occasionally kills 

 and devours small birds, it is of great benefit to the farmer, 

 from the fact that it destroys large numbers of grasshoppers and 

 field mice. The habit of impaling its victims on thorns is one 

 common to the whole family of Shrikes, and also one that has 

 not been satisfactorily explained, for it seems that objects so 

 impaled are seldom touched by the birds afterward. It has 

 been suggested that the bird improves every opportunity to pro- 

 cure food, and when not needing it impales it to provide for an 

 emergency; and that, when fresh food is readily obtained, it is 

 preferred. This may be the true explanation, but we think a 

 more plausible one may be found. 



"In the protection of its young, no bird displays greater cour- 

 age or more affectionate solicitude for its offspring. I have re- 

 peatedly, when I have climbed to a nest containing young, had 

 the parent birds alight within my reach, and retreat only when 

 I had attempted to grasp them, all the while they were greatly 

 excited with anger, and were there an opportunity to do so with- 

 out being seen, would actually bite my hand. During such oc- 



