1^6 MEMOIRS OF THE NUTTALL ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB 



repeatedly, standing meanwhile on his tip-toes, with crest erected and with mouth 

 opened to its fullest capacity from which issued in quick succession the trilling, 

 hissing notes. The other two birds remained passive and suddenly all three flew 

 off together. 



263 [621] Lanius borealis Vieill. 



Northern Shrike; Butcher-bird. 



Not uncommon winter visitor, most common in the autumn. October 14 

 to May. 



On April 3. 1910, at Ipswich, I saw a female Shrike fly with a Chickadee in 

 her bill to an api^le tree where she fixed her prey in a crotch by the neck. Here 

 she picked it, making the feathers fly, but, disturbed by my presence, seized the 

 bird again in her bill and de])arted. 



On December 10, 1916, at Ipswich, I saw a Shrike chasing a Myrtle Warbler 

 in irregular circles, mounting higher and higher meanwhile. At last when the 

 warbler was nearly caught it eluded its pursuer by darting diagonally downward 

 and turning sharply near the ground just as the Shrike was upon it. The chase 

 still continued and both birds disappeared behind trees. 



A more pleasing observation was one I made on March 31, 1918. A male 

 Northern Shrike was occupied in the pursuit of insects from a station on the top 

 of a hickory at Ipswich. He would fly directly up, turn and double and then 

 descend to his perch with the cai)tured insect. After catching an especially large 

 one he descended into some bushes and sang a medley of notes, some sweet and 

 musical, suggesting the song of a Robin or a Vireo, others harsh and scraping, 

 suggestive of comb-music or the harsh notes of a Vireo or a Catbird. The per- 

 formance was interesting and often beautiful. Dr. J. C. Phillips found a Shrike 

 in full song at Wenham on February 12, 1917. 



264 [622e] Lanius ludovicianus migrans W. Palmer. 



Migrant Shrike. 



Rare transient visitor. March 28 to April 17; August 21 to November. 



In addition to the six records given in the original Memoir I have the follow- 

 ing: Mr. G. M. Bubier saw the bird at Lynn on March 31 and April 6, 1907, 

 March 28, April 2, 3, 17, 1910, and April 7, 1912. Mr. A. P. Stubbs watched a 

 bird at close range at Palmer's Bog, Swampscott, on August 25, 1910, and again 

 at Flax Pond, Lynn, on September 2, 1917. Mr. S. W. Bailey^ states that he saw 



1 Bailey, S. W. Auk, vol. 34, p. 214, 1917. 



