96 



ORDER II. INSESSORES. 



PERCHING BIRDS. 

 CHAPTER I. 



The SHRIKES, or Butcher-birds Their singular mode of 

 impaling their prey The FLYCATCHERS The Spotted 

 Flycatcher or common Beam-bird Two anecdotes, illus- 

 trative of the instinct and parental affection of this bird 

 The Pied Flycatcher The THRUSHES The Missel 

 Thrush The Song Thrush Description of the manners 

 of this bird Friendship between two Thrushes The 

 REDWING and the FIELDFARE The WATER OUSEL, or 

 Dipper Description of this little bird, in its favourite 

 haunts The RING OUSEL. 



THE second order is that of the PERCHING 

 BIRDS. It includes a much greater number of 

 species than any of the others, and the birds be- 

 longing to it are distinguished by their superior 

 intelligence, and by the variety and excellence of 

 their powers of song. This order is subdivided 

 into tribes ; the notch beaked, the full and strong 

 beaked, the conical beaked, and the climbers. 



The division that ranks nearest to the rapacious 

 birds, and forms, as it were, the connecting link with 

 ihem, is the SHRIKES ; an interesting family, whose 

 habits bear a strong resemblance to those of the 



