BIRD LIFE IN WINTER 



ing at them, a larger and darker bird came swiftly 

 by me, flying low and straight toward the buntings. 

 He shot beneath the trellises, and evidently hoped 

 to surprise the birds. It w^as a shrike, thirsting for 

 blood or brains. But the buntings were on the alert, 

 and were up in the air before the feathered assassin 

 reached them. As the flock wheeled about, he joined 

 them and flew along with them for some distance, 

 but made no attempt to strike that I could see. 



Presently he left them and perched upon the top of 

 a near maple. The birds did not seem to fear him 

 now, but swept past the treetop where he sat as if 

 to challenge him to a race, and then went their way. 

 I have seen it stated that these birds, when suddenly 

 surprised by a hawk, will dive beneath the snow to 

 escape him. They doubtless roost upon the ground, 

 as do most ground-builders, and hence must often be 

 covered by the falling snow. 



