416 KOIITII AMKKICAN BIRDS. 



iRst aiitl clTi^s of the Eiiro])eaii bird in view in his description. We know 

 <»t' a single recent instance in which this hird has bred within the limits 

 of tlie Tnitetl States, thouirii it niav breed in Xortliern and Eastern Maine. 

 Mr. l)(»ardnian spoke of it as common only in winter, near Calais, bnt 

 he has since met with its nest in Xew Urunswiek, within twelve miles 

 of St. Stei»lien. It was supposed by his informant to be the nest of the 

 Canada J.'V, l>ut proved, on shooting tlie i»arent, to be that of the North- 

 ern Shrike AVhen found, it contained fouj- euus, l)Ut these had hatched 

 one before ^"t was secured. Tlie nest was found on the hist of April, and 

 was ])uilt in a L)\\ si>ruce-tree. Mr. IJoardmaii has since seen these birds in 

 his neighborhood during the summer. Professor Verrill thinks it is only 

 common in the autunni and winter in Western ]Maine. In Western Massa- 

 chusetts, Mr. Allen cites it as not verv c«>mmon, but a rc-ular winter visit- 

 ant, from the last of October to the middle of Ajtril. 



^Ir. Kidgway ?iiet with it freipiently in the neighborhood of Carson '^ity 

 during the winter, anions the willows bor«K'rinijf the streams that How from 

 tlie mountains. Dr. Cones also found it as far south as Arizona, though 

 Mr. Dresser did not meet with any in Texas, nor did Dr. AVoodhouse notice 

 any in his ex])edition to the Zuni. Ca}>tain Feilner found this species com- 

 mon, in the colder months, in the northeastern portions of California, and 

 Dr. Cooper gives it as abundant at the Columbia Kiver in Ottober. 



Mr. Audubon further states that in .severe winters he has met with it as 

 far south as Xatchez on the Mississi})])i. It is also not uncommon in Ken- 

 tucky during the same sea.son, but he never met with it near ^he seaboard. 



^Ir. Kennicott's memoranda in reference to this species are to the effect 

 that he observed one individual at Fort Simpson, Sei)tember 2o, and again 

 October 22, but on no other occasion. Both of these specimens, when first 

 observed, were singing. Their notes, he states, were low and irregular, but 

 were varied and (piite musical. Captain IJlakiston found these birds winter 

 residents on the Saskatchewan. 



In the fall and winter of 1871, a [xiir of these birds was attracted to the 

 Common, in r>ost(jn, by the large number of half-domesticated European 

 Si)arrows. For a while they made daily inroads upon these favorites, killing 

 one or more for .se^' ,al days in succession. They ap]>eaied to keep them- 

 selves .secreted most of the time, showin<^ thenisidves each dav earlv in the 

 forenoon, and j)ouncing upon their victims, unaware of their near presence, in 

 the manner of a Hawk, aiming always at the heads, wliicli were torn otT and 

 devoured ; generally the headless remains were left uneaten. In one in- 

 stance where a Sparrow had been struck on the back, an ugly wound was 

 made, the bird escaped alive, and was .soon after seen, in the middle of Tre- 

 mont Street, ap])arently not seriously injured. These Shrikes were so bold 

 and destructive that ]»ains had to be take/i to watch lor and shoot them. 

 Three were killed, on different days, and each with a dead Sparrow in its 

 claws, upon which it was feasting when shot. 



