62 LANID^E. 



especially, though little resembling a Hawk in appearance, 

 has, on account of its habits, some pretension to be ranked 

 among birds of prey; from which, however, it differs in 

 the essential particular that, as well as the rest of the 

 family, it seizes and carries off its prey with its beak and 

 not with its claws. Though rarely seen in this country, it 

 is not uncommon on the Continent, where its characters 

 have been accurately observed. It derives its name excu- 

 bitor (sentinel) from its favourite habit of posting itself on 

 the topmost twig of a poplar or other lofty tree, whence it 

 keeps up a watchful look-out, not only for its prey, but 

 for any bird of the hawk tribe, against which it wages 

 incessant and deadly hostility. When it descries one of 

 these birds, which it does at a great distance, it utters a 

 shriek, as if for the purpose of giving an alarm, a cry 

 which is instantly repeated by all birds of the same species 

 which happen to be within hearing. This antipathy against 

 birds of prey is taken advantage of by fowlers in France, 

 who, when setting their nets for hawks, take with them 

 a "sentinel" Shrike and station it near the living bird, 

 which they employ as a lure. So rapid is the swoop of 

 the Falcon that but for the warning cry of the Shrike 

 it would descend and carry off its victim before the 

 fowler had time to close his nets ; but the keen eye 

 of the sentinel detects, and his shrill cry announces, 

 the approach of his enemy, and the fowler has tune to 

 prepare. The principal food of this bird appears to be 

 insects, especially the stag-beetle, though in its natural 

 state it will capture and destroy any birds inferior to 

 itself in strength and courage. Its name Lanius (Latin 

 for butcher) and Butcher-bird were given to it from its 

 habit of impaling beetles and small birds on thorns in 

 the vicinity of its nest. The latter it has even been said 

 to flay before dismembering ; but this assertion rests on 

 insufficient evidence. Its flight is peculiar, being com- 

 posed of a series of dips, like that of the Wagtail ; and 



