BIRDS AND BIRDS. 157 



scene in which the shrike was the chief actor. A 

 chipmunk had his den in the side of the terrace above 

 the garden, and spent the mornings laying in a store 

 of corn which he stole from a field ten or twelve 

 rods away. In traversing about half this distance, 

 the little poacher was exposed ; the first cover go- 

 ing from his den was a large maple, where he al- 

 ways brought up and took a survey of the scene. 

 I would see him spinning along toward the maple, 

 then from it by an easy stage to the fence adjoining 

 the corn ; then back again with his booty. One 

 morning I paused to watch him more at my leisure. 

 He came up out of his retreat and cocked himself up 

 to see what my motions meant. His fore paws were 

 clasped to his breast precisely as if they had been 

 hands, and the tips of the fingers thrust into his vest 

 pockets. Having satisfied himself with reference to 

 me, he sped on toward the tree. He had nearly 

 reached it, when he turned tail arid rushed for his 

 hole with the greatest precipitation. As he neared 

 it, I saw some bluish object in the air closing in upon 

 him with the speed of an arrow, and as he vanished 

 within, a shrike brought up in front of the spot, and 

 with spread wings and tail stood hovering a moment, 

 and, looking in, then turned and went away. Appar- 

 ently it was a narrow escape for the chipmunk, and, 

 I venture to say, he stole no more corn that morning. 

 The shrike is said to catch mice, but it is not known 

 to attack squirrels. He certainly could not have 

 strangled the chipmunk, and I am curious to kno\f 



