l6o SINGING BIRDS. 



thickly marked at the greater end with spots and streaks of 

 rufous. The period of sitting is about 15 days. The young 

 appear early in June or the latter end of May. 



The principal food of this species is large insects, such as 

 grasshoppers, crickets, and spiders. With the surplus of the 

 former, as well as small birds, he disposes in a very singular 

 manner, by impaling them upon thorns, as if thus providing 

 securely for a future supply of provision. In the abundance, 

 however, which surrounds him in the ample store-house of 

 Nature, he soon loses sight of this needless and sportive econ- 

 omy, and, like the thievish Pie and Jay, he suffers his forgotten 

 store to remain drying and bleaching in the elements till no 

 longer palatable or digestible. As this little Butcher, like his 

 more common European representative, preys upon birds, 

 these impaled grasshoppers were imagined to be lures to attract 

 his victims ; but his courage and rapacity render such snares 

 both useless and improbable, as he has been known, with the 

 temerity of a Falcon, to follow a bird into an open cage sooner 

 than lose his quarry. Mr. J. Brown, of Cambridge, informs me 

 that one of these birds had the boldness to attack two Canaries 

 in a cage, suspended one fine winter's day at the window. The 

 poor songsters in their fears fluttered to the side of the cage, 

 and one of them thrust his head through the bars of his prison ; 

 at this instant the wily Butcher tore off his head, and left the 

 body dead in the cage. The cause of the accident seemed 

 wholly mysterious, till on the following day the bold hunter 

 was found to have entered the room, through the open window, 

 with a view to despatch the remaining victim ; and but for 

 timely interference it would have instantly shared the fate of 

 its companion. On another occasion, while a Mr. Lock in this 

 vicinity was engaged in fowhng, he wounded a Robin, who 

 flew to a little distance and descended to the ground ; he soon 

 heard the disabled bird uttering unusual cries, and on approach- 

 ing found him in the grasp of the Shrike. He snatched up the 

 bird from its devourer ; but having tasted blood, it still fol- 

 lowed, as if determined not to relinquish its proposed prey, 

 and only desisted from the quest on receiving a mortal wound. 



