TOE DRAWBRIDGE. 281 



and sticking np nine grasshoppers a day, and that, as he 

 well knew they did not devour the grasshopper nor any 

 other insects, he thought they must do it for pleasure." 



This quotation is suggestive in more ways than one. 

 Certainly no such abundant evidences of the shrikes are 

 now to be met with, and Mr. Ileckewelder's experience 

 in the orchard implies that they were very abundant 

 about Bethlehem (in eastern Pennsylvania) when he 

 wrote, for no one bird would have visited every tree in 

 a comparatively small enclosure. Again, our northern 

 shrike is not here now, nor is it about Bethlehem, moun- 

 tainous region as it is, when large grasshoppers are abun- 

 dant. The latter have generally disappeared prior to 

 the arrival of the shrikes, nine-killers, or butcher-birds, 

 as they are variously called. 



On the other hand, the mention of grasshoppers as the 

 prey of, if not food of, the shrikes, suggests the southern 

 species, which may have been as constant a summer vis- 

 itor as the other is during winter, and even more abun- 

 dant. If so, a change took place about the time that 

 Ileckewelder wrote — ninety years ago — in its habits, and 

 it ceased to come north, as we have seen other migrants 

 have ceased to do since then. Very recently, however, 

 they have returned, and in the interests of the anti-Eng- 

 lish sparrow clubs, let us hope their numbers will stead- 

 ily increase. 



This August afternoon was peculiarly quiet. The 

 hum of many insects was to be heard only by careful 

 listening, so subdued was every sound. Scarcely a bird 

 chirped, and few were to be seen. It may seem a rather 



