8o Flasmlkjuts on Natikk 



hold it coiivciiic'iitlv a^ on a fork or sktwi'i while 

 sJH* pi'cks at it. SoiiR'timt'^ yoii will liiid thr mice 

 fastened through the Itodv, and j^nawini^ tin- twi;^ 

 with tlieir teeth in their prolonj^ed a^ony. Hut 

 the butcher-bird takes no notice of their writhinj^s 

 and tlieir groans : siie treats them with the in- 

 difference of a lishmonj^er to lobsters. It is her 

 business to piovide for hei* own younj^, and she 

 does it as ruthlessly as if she were a civilised 

 liuman beinj^. 



The shrike's ordinary method of capturing prev 

 closely resendiles that of the ilv-catcher, to which, 

 iiowever, it is not reallv related. The resi'inblance 

 is increly one of those due to similarity of habit. 

 Kvery well-conducted butcher-biid has a settled 

 perch or pitch on which he sits to watch and wait, 

 and to which he returns after each short excursion. 

 Flies and bees he catches on tlu- wini^, ilartini» 

 down upon them suddenly with a swoop like a 

 kin^lisher's ; but \w also often takes them sitting, 

 especially when they are settled on a leaf or branch, 

 or are eatim^ carrion. One of his most favourite 

 hunt in;^- boxes is a telegraph wire, and he prefers 

 one that crosses the cornel of a wood ; there he 

 will sit with his head held sapientlv on one side, 

 keeping a sharp look-out from his beady brown 

 eyes in every direction. If a bee lij^hts on a head 

 of clover, if a cockchafer stirs, if a mouse m(»ves 

 in the ^rass, if a lledi^eliu}^ thrush makes a tirst 

 unj^uarded uUempt to tly — woe beticU- the poor 

 innocent ; our butcher-bird is upon him, with a 

 tierce darlinj^ beak, and in ten seconds more, his 



