OF NEW ENGLAND. 165 



any sounds. About the middle of March I observed a pair 

 in a field overrun with mice, and heard their extraordinary 

 note, brief and often repeated, which resembled the buzz of a 

 small insect (with somewhat of a squeal intermixed?). I at 

 first, in my haste and ignorance, attributed this sound to the 

 field mice, but afterwards supposed that it was probably a 

 cry confined exclusively to the mating-season of the birds, to 

 whom it certainly belonged. 



I shall close this biography by inserting a very entertaining 

 passage from an old English book on Falconry, which I find 

 quoted in Mr. Wood's interesting book, " Homes without 

 Hands." 



"Sometimes upon certain birds she doth use to prey, whome 

 she doth entrappe and deceive by flight, for this is her desire. 

 She will stand at pearch upon some tree or poste, and there 

 make an exceeding lamentable crye and exclamation, such as 

 birds are wonte to do, being wronged or in hazard of mischiefe, 

 and all to make other fowles believe and thinke that she is very 

 much distressed and stands in need of ayde ; whereupon the 

 credulous sellie birds do flocke together presently at her call 

 and voice, at what time if any happen to approach neare her 

 she out of hand ceazeth on them, and devoureth them (un- 

 grateful subtill fowle !) in requital for their simplicity and 

 pains. 



" Heere I end of this hawke, because I neither accompte her 

 worthy the name of a hawke, in whom there resteth no valor 

 or hardiness, nor yet deserving to have any more written upon 

 her propertie and nature. For truly it is not the property of 

 any other hawke, by such devise and cowardly will to come by 

 their prey, but they love to winne it by main force of wings at 

 random, as the round winged hawkes doe, or by free stooping, 

 as the hawkes of the Tower doe most commonly use, as the 

 falcon, gerfalcon, sacre, mertyn, and such like." 



(B) LUDOVICIANUS. Loggerhead Shrike. 

 (But rarely obtained so far to the northward as Massachu- 

 setts.) 



