No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 523 



KINGFISHER 



The Kingfisher (see Fig. 4) is doubtless on the black list because 

 it destroys fishes ; but as all "suckers"' are not alike, so all fishes are 

 not the same kind. A careful study of its habits shows that it feeds 

 mostly upon minnows, suckers and other soft-rayed or slow fishes, 

 which are in turn the enemies of the eggs of the higher or spiny- 

 rayed fishes, such as the perch, bass and pickerel, which are really 

 the fine game fishes. The trout is too wary to be caught by King- 

 fishers, except where they are kept in artificial conditions, as in 

 ponds, where they do not have opportunity for natural concealment. 

 This bird is one of the most beautiful and interesting in the natural 

 elements in landscape scenery, and from a scientific, as well as an 

 esthetic standpoint, is worthy of preservation. 



THE SHRIKE 



As a matter of fact, there are two species of Shrikes liable to oc- 

 cur in Penns3'lvania. One is the Great Northern Shrike or the 

 Butcher Bird; the other is the Southern Shrike, and is also called 

 the "Loggerhead." (See Fig. 5). These are Passerine or Perching 

 Birds, which have acquired the raptorial habit. They live like small 

 hawks. They are peculiar in the fact that they will kill insects, 

 frogs, mice, small birds, etc., and hang them in bushes or impale 

 them on thorns near their nests or in other favorable storage places. 

 They appear to do this in times of plenty, in order to establish 

 larders upon which they can draw in periods of scarcity. 



During the winter we have not infrequently found large grass- 

 hoppers impaled upon thorns where the Shrikes had evidently placed 

 them during the previous summer. While it is possible that they may 

 feed upon a few small birds, like our native sparrows, and thus may 

 be objectionable, we do know that they are among the great enemies 

 of mice, the large insects of many kinds, and the English Sparrow. 

 We have seen them pursue the latter with the tenacity of the hound 

 folloAving its prey, until the Sparrow became so fatigued that it 

 would attempt to seek protection in a bush, there only to be sought 

 out and killed by the Shrike. 



This bird generally breaks away the skull of its victim, eats its 

 brain, and hangs its remains upon a spine, or in the small fork of 

 a bush. Because of its value in destroying mice, insects, and the 

 English Sparrow, we regard it as more beneficial than obnoxious, and 

 regret that the laws of man have seen fit to place this bird upon the 

 black list. 



THE EAGLE 



The law does not state which of the different species of Eagles are 

 to be unprotected in this State. The two most commonly found, 

 though rare, are the Golden PJagle and the Bald Eagle. (See Fig. 6). 



The stories of the Eagle carrying away children are, so far as we 

 can learn, almost always unfounded. These birds live mostly along 

 the seashore, where fish can be obtained, or scattered in the moun- 

 tainous districts. As long as the Bald Eagle is the "Emblem of 

 our Country," it is entitled to our respect and efforts at protec- 

 tion. 



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