LAXIID.E — THE SHRIKES. 429 



Dr. Coues found this species very common in the neighborhood of Colum- 

 bia, S. C, frequenting the wooded streets and waste fields of that city. On 

 one occasion he observed a Loggerhead busily foraging for iusects in the 

 grounds of the Capitol. From the top of a tall bush it would occasionally 

 sally out, capture a large grasshopper, and carry it to a tree near by, full of 

 sharp twigs. It would then proceed to impale the insect on one of these 

 points, remain awhile watching the result of its performance, and then re- 

 sume its post on the bush, watching for more grasshoppers, some of which, 

 one by one, it caught and impaled in like manner, others it ate on the spot. 



This curious habit of impaling insects, more or less common to the entire 

 family of Shrikes, seems to admit of no satisfactory explanation. In this 

 case the bird thus secured them when apparently hungry, eating some and 

 impaling others. Yet, so far as I know, it never makes any use of those it 

 thus impales. 



Mr. Audubon states that in South Carolina it is C|uite common along the 

 fences and hedges about the rice plantations at aU seasons, and that it ren- 

 ders good service to the planters in the destruction of field-mice, as weU as 

 of many of the larger iusects. He speaks of its song as consisting only of 

 shrill, clear, creaking, prolonged notes, resembling the grating of a rusty 

 hinge. His account differs, in many respects, from the more minute and 

 exact descriptions of Eev. Dr. Bachman. In pursuing its prey, he states 

 that it invariably strikes it with its bill before seizing it with its claws. 



In reference to its song. Dr. Bachman states that it has other notes besides 

 the grating sound mentioned by Audubon. During the breeding-season, and 

 nearly all the summer, the male bird posts itself at the top of some tree 

 and makes an effort at a song, which he compares to the first attempts of a 

 young Brown Thrush. This is a labored effort, and at times the notes are 

 not unpleasing, but very irregular. 



Dr. Bachman also claims that the male evinces marked evidences of attacli- 

 ment to his mate, carrying to her, every now and then, a grasshopper or a 

 cricket, and driving away hawk or crow as they approach the nest. 



He also states that lie has usually found the nest on the outer limbs of 

 trees, often from fifteen to thirty feet from the ground, and only once on a 

 bush so low as ten feet from the ground. He has occasionally seen these 

 birds feeding on mice, and also on birds that had been apparently wounded 

 by the sportsman. It will sometimes catch young birds and devour them, 

 but its food consists chiefly of grasshoppers, crickets, coleopterous and other 

 insects, including butterflies and moths, which it will pursue and capture 

 on the wing. Dr. Bachman has observed its habit of pinning insects on 

 thorns. In one instance he saw it occupy itself for hours in sticking up, in 

 this way, small fishes thrown on the shore, but he has never kno%\-n them to 

 devour anything thus impaled. 



This Slirike is partially migratory in South Carolina, as a few may be 

 found all winter, but only one tenth of those seen in summer. It is also 



