164 SHRIKES. 



separate the survivors, and chain them in the manner Gold- 

 finches are frequently confined, when they became very docile, 

 would come when called, for the sake of a fly, of which they 

 were remarkably fond, though they would also eat mice or 

 birds, spitting, or fastening them, or pieces of raw flesh, on 

 their cage, in order to tear them ; disgorging the feathers, fur, 

 and bones, in pellets, like Hawks and Owls. 



Of two, thus kept for some time, the deaths were rather 

 singular ; one choked itself by swallowing too large a quantity 

 of mouse-fur, which it could not disgorge, the other, by 

 eating to such a degree, that it actually died of fat and reple- 

 tion ; expiring in Mr. Montague's hand, in a fit, when in the 

 act of feeding on insects. In some countries, the young of 

 the species of Shrike found there, are trained for hawking or 

 other purposes. 



In Kussia, they are sometimes used for the former amuse- 

 ment ; in Bengal, they are taught to fight, a cruel diversion, 

 one being held up opposite to another, in the hand of a 

 man, to whose finger the bird is fastened by a string, suffi- 

 ciently long to enable it to fly at and peck its adversaries. By 

 others, it is so well trained, that, at a given signal, it will 

 seize and carry the small golden ornament usually worn on 

 the head of young Indian females, and convey it to its master. 

 It will also, with wonderful celerity, follow the descent of a 

 ring, purposely thrown down a deep well, catching it in its 

 fall, and returning it to its owner. 



In parts of Holland and Germany, it is used for catching 

 Hawks, in rather a curious way ; showing some other of its 

 peculiarities. The Falcon-catchers generally make their pre- 

 parations in October and November, when the Hawks are on 

 their passage towards the southern parts of Europe. The 

 falconer constructs a low turf hut, in an open part of the 

 country, with a small opening on one side ; at about a hundred 

 yards' distance from the hut, a light-coloured Pigeon is placed 

 in a hole in the ground, covered with turf, with a string at- 

 tached to it, which reaches to the hut; another Pigeon is 

 placed in a similar situation on the opposite side, at the same 

 distance. At ten yards' distance from each Pigeon, a small 



