BIG GAME AND ITS BIRD-PEOTECTORS 273 



worst of detrimentals. Altliougli, as just indicated, 

 these shrikes hold frequent impromptu concerts entirely 

 on their own account (and which cannot alarm game) 

 yet it is more than certain that they will also insist on 

 "addressing the meeting" precisely at those critical 

 moments of a stalk when their ill-timed chatter spells 

 sure disaster to the hunter. 



SOCIABLE SHRIKE [Urolcstes melcinoUucus). 



The shrikes, being insect-feeders, habitually attend 

 the herds of big game, in order to pick up the locusts, 

 grasshoppers, etc., that are disturbed by the slowly-graz- 

 ino' animals. Obviously many more grasshoppers would 

 be set in motion by a stampeded herd in fidl flight 

 than by separate beasts sedately feeding. Thus the 

 shrikes have a direct personal interest (if they knew it) 

 in alarming each herd of game. That they have so 

 deeply worked out the problem as to associate the 

 appearance of a hunter with alarm to the game and its 

 resultant feast on grasshoppers, it would not be wise to 



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