56 A THORN-TREE NEST. 



fence, but on liis own small tree ; goldfinches 

 flew over, singing and calling, and no notice 

 was taken of them ; sparrows hopped about 

 among the branches of the thorn at their dis- 

 cretion ; a chickadee one day made searching 

 examination of nearly every twig and leaf, go- 

 ing close to and over the nest, where the sitting 

 bird must have seen him, yet not a peep arose. 

 Sometimes, when madam left her nest for re- 

 freshment, she would sweep by a bird who hap- 

 pened to be on the tree, thus making him fly, 

 but she never followed or showed any special 

 interest in him. Whatever other shrikes nte,y 

 be or do, at least this pair, and the three or four 

 others who visited them, were amiable with 

 their neighbors, small as well as great. 



If bravery is a virtue, — and why is it not, in 

 feathers as well as in broadcloth ? — the shrike 

 should stand high in our estimation, for he does 

 not hesitate to attack and make his prey ani- 

 mals which few birds of his size dare touch ; 

 not only mice, but creatures as well armed as 

 gophers and others. 



I was particularly desirous to hear the song 

 of the shrike. He is not classed with singing 

 birds, and is not, I think, usually credited with 

 being musical. But Thoreau speaks of his song, 

 and others mention it. John Burroughs tells of 

 a shrike singing in his vicinity in winter, " a 



