LAXTID.E — THE SHRIKES. 417 



Both ^Fr. Audubon and ^Ir. Xuttall ivler to this Shrike's iniitatin-j; the 

 cries of (dher ))ii'«ls, aitparently to «U*roy tlieni within its reach. Tlie former 

 has lieard it utter erics like those of the Sparrow screaniinii; in the claws of 

 a Hawk, to induce them to come out <»f their cuverts and rescue their sulfer- 

 ing fellows, and has seen them dart suddenly into a thicket in pursuit of one, 

 from which wouM soon issue the real cries of the l)ird it had seized. Xuttall 

 states tiiat in some parts (»f Xcw England this Shrike is called a ^locking- 

 Ihrd, on account of its imitations of the notes of smaller birds. Its more 

 usual note resembles the disconhint creakinu" of a siirnboard hinure. He also 

 states that it has been known to mimic the ([uacking of ducks, so that 

 these would answer to it as to a decov. He heard one of these birds, as 

 late as Xoveml»er 10, uttering a low and soft warble, resend>lin^ that of the 

 Song Spnrrow, immediattdy after changing; it to the notes of the Catbird. 



When in pursuit jf small V)irds, it will dart down with closed wings, in 

 the manner of a Hawk, and seldom fails to obtain the object of its pursuit, 

 following it \vith rapidity and ])ertinacity thr(>ugh the thickets in which it 

 seeks shelter. When it seizes its prey, it alights on its back, and tears open 

 its head. 



Its bold audacity and j)erseverance are quite remarkable, and are often dis- 

 played, in the fall, in the manner in which it will enter an a])artment 

 through an open window and attack a Canary, even in the presence t)f mem- 

 bers of the family. It rarelv fails, if it ijains access to the cage, to destnjv its 

 inmate before the latter can be rescued liy the intervention (»f tliose present, 

 and only by great promptness in .sheltering the cage. In one instance the 

 writer was sitting at a cl()sed window readim;, with a Canary hamjin*^ above 

 him. Suddenly there was a severe blow struck at tlie pane of gla^^s near 

 the cage, and the frightened Canary uttered cries of alarm and fe'' the 

 bottom of its cage The cau.se was soon exjdained. A Shrike 1 d- -kI 

 u])on the bird, unccmscious of the intervening glass, and was ^" jhe ' .}/on 

 the snow under the window, stunned by the blow. He rev" when tal:en 

 uj), and lived several days, was sullen, but tame, and ut^ devoid of fear. 

 He refused raw meat, but eagerly tore in pieces and oured small birds 

 when given to him. His tanieness and inditference t' ,1* ]»resence may have 

 been occasioned by stupor arising from liis injury, .ij an<»ther case a Shrike 

 made a similar attack, but escaped unharmed, and -lougb he remained about 

 the house several days, was too wary to allow bin .st If to be decoyed within 

 gunshot. 



A nest of the Xorthern Shrike, containiu''* six eijixs, was obtained by 

 R. Ii. ^IcFarlane, at Anderson IJiver Fort, June 11, 18<):> This is in many 

 re.^^pects in striking contrast with the nests of its kindivd species of the 

 Southern States, far exceeding them in its relative size, in elalnu-ate finish 

 and warmth. It is altogether a remarkable exam]>le of what are known as 

 felted nests, where various materials are most elaborately worked together 

 into a homogeneous and symmetrical wliole. It is seven inches in diameter 



