378 DIVISION I. VERTEBRAL AXIMALS. — CLASS II. AVES. 



tion. As reijarils talking niylitingalcs, Pliny's assertion is not iinsiipportetl ; 

 for wc find Gessnor, tlie modern Theocritus, tiie modern master of idyllic 

 poetry, and at the same time an experienced naturalist, descriljing two ca'^ed 

 nightingales belonging to an innkeeper at liatisbon, who, in the silence of 

 the night talked with each other, rejieating phrases which tiiej' had heard 

 during the day. Even lUitton, while ridiculing tiie credulity of Pliny, and 

 mistrusting, to some extent, the statement of Gessner, says that when reared 

 from the nest they may be taught to talk. 'J'he prices paid in Pome for 

 caged nightingales appear to have been really fabulous. Agrippina, the 

 wife of the Emperor Claudius, having paid, as Pliny tells us, an enormous 

 sum for a white nightingale, while an ordinary bird of extremely perfect 

 song would sell for as much as a robust and well-trained slave." 



Of the L(tiiiuK, or iShrikcs, our American Piitciicr-Bird, or great nor- 

 thern shrike, is a good example. This species only visits iV'ew England and 

 the otlicr states in the winter, and spends tlie breeding season in the more 

 northern latitudes. 



It makes its appearance about the last week in October, and is seen until 

 the last week in May. During this period it preys upon small birds, mice, 

 and such insects and larv;v as it linds in exposed situations, such as fences, 

 piles of stones, itc. 



In watching for its prey, it usually remains perched on a stake or small 

 tree, in a field or meadow, carefully scanning the surrounding neighborhodd. 

 "When a mouse or other small mammal presents itself in the grass, the bird 

 folds its wings, drops on it with an imerring aim, and seizes it with its bill. 

 If a flock of small birds, such as pine-finches, or red-polls, appear in sight, 

 ho immediately pursues them, and generally secures one or two before they 

 are dispersed. A\^e have seen an individual dart into a Hock of tree spar- 

 rows, and kill three of them before they could escape ; and it seems a char- 

 acteristic of this bird to secure more than cnougii food for its present wants. 

 Its habit of suspending small birds, mice, and insects on thorns and small 

 twigs, is well known. This is done, we arc inclined to think, not because, 

 as many writers assert, tliat it will not eat its food when freshly killed, and 

 it thus suspends it in order that it may beconie tainted, but rather to have 

 this food stored for future need. AVe see many other birds with this same 

 habit of providing for future wants ; particularly the blue jay, and some of 

 the woodpeckers. 



We have never met with the nest of this species, and will borrow the 

 description by Audubon. "About the 20th of April, the male and his mate 

 arc seen engaged in building their nest in the covered and secluded ])arts of 

 the forests. I found several of their uests placed on bushes not above ten 

 feet from the ground, without any appearance of choice as to the tree, but 



