386 RELATIONS OF BIRDS TO AGRICULTURE 



hour we watched six of these birds, constantly on the wing, hover- 

 ing over a slough and catching quantities of insects. They seemed 

 never to grow tired, but flew slowly against the wind, deviating 

 now a little to this side, now to that, until they reached the end 

 of the slough. Then back they came to repeat the same maneuver 

 and go over the same ground again and again. Occasionally they 

 uttered the characteristic note of the species, but, for the most 

 part, flew silently. During the time they did not once rest." 

 Only nine out of 152 stomachs of this bird, forty of which were 

 taken in cherry season, contained cultivated cherries. 



Red-eyed Vireo (Plate 3, Fig. 8). Who has not heard and 

 enjoyed the song of this bird emanating from shade trees along a 

 village street on a hot day in summer? It is heard at a time when 

 other birds are silent, and if one sees the songster among the leaves, 

 he will be found to be actively searching for insects, even while 

 giving voice to his song. Over ninety per cent of its food consists 

 of insects. 



The nest is pensile in a fork thirty or forty feet above the 

 ground. It is characteristic in its structure, containing strips of 

 vines, bark of trees, and frequently pieces of paper. The eggs, 

 three or four in number, are white, with the larger end sparingly 

 spotted. 



The bird is about six and a quarter inches long. The top of 

 the head is gray; and a white line is over the eye, which is red. 

 The remainder of the body is olive colored, except the under parts, 

 which are white. 



Northern Shrike or Butcher Bird. A misconception regarding 

 this bird prevails among many. The mistake is encouraged by its 

 name, and perhaps added to, unfortunately, by the illustrations 

 frequently seen, showing the bird with a captured sparrow. It 

 is true that he kills sparrows and other small birds, a fact evidently 

 fully appreciated by his intended victims, since a panic among 

 them is caused by his appearance. But he atones for this by 

 killing and devouring field mice, shrews, and injurious insects. 

 It is to his credit, also, that he is a persistent enemy of the English 

 sparrow. The latter bird is responsible for many ills; and is now 

 recognized as one means of dispersal of the much dreaded San 

 Jose scale. 



The great northern shrike is common in northern fields until 

 late fall, sometimes as late as December. He is recognized by his 

 peculiar flight, close to the ground, by his size and coloration. 



