174 SHRIKES. 



tionable ; for they have been seen to be all day long 

 seizing insects, as if actuated by a desire of destroying 

 life, rather than procuring a store of food. This appa- 

 rently wanton cruelty may, however, be turned to good 

 account ; for we have no doubt, that it was by a species 

 of this bird called the Collared Shrike (Lanius collaris) 

 that the following check was given to a plague of 

 locusts. The account was sent from the Cape of Good 

 Hope, in 1829. During the spring of that year, the 

 locusts abounded to such a degree on the southern coasts 

 of Africa, that the whole country was completely ravaged, 

 and the most serious apprehensions were entertained 

 for any renewal of vegetation which the rains might 

 promote, when the locust-birds made their appearance 

 in vast flocks and successfully interfered. The writer 

 adds, that their mode of attacking, and destroying, and 

 impaling these destructive insects, was quite extraordi- 

 nary, and far surpassed all human efforts. 



Mr. Selby, a celebrated English naturalist, was for- 

 tunate enough to see the whole process of pinning a 

 Hedge-sparrow by one of these Butcher-birds. Having 

 seized his victim, he immediately killed it, and then, 

 hovered with it in his bill for a short time over the 

 hedge, apparently occupied in selecting a thorn suited 

 to his purpose. Upon disturbing it, and advancing to 

 the spot, he found the Sparrow already firmly fixed by 

 the tendons of the wing, at the selected twig. In another 

 instance, a Shrike was observed busily occupied near a 

 thorn-hedge ; on examination, three frogs, and as many 

 mice, were found regularly spitted on thorns. With the 

 design of catching this Butcher-bird, six very small steel 

 traps were set, baited with mice. On the following day 

 two of the traps were found to be sprung, and the baits 

 gone. As it was not an easy matter to accomplish this 

 without being caught, the traps were then watched. At 

 length, the Shrike approached, and darting down, was 

 rising perpendicularly with his prize ; but in this instance, 

 notwithstanding the celerity of his movements, the teeth 



