HABITS OF THE SURIlOiS. 379 



generally towards tlie top, and placed in a fork. The nest is as large as 

 that of the robin, and is composed externally of coarse grasses, leaves, and 

 moss ; internally of fibrous roots, over which is a bed of the feathers of the 

 wild turkey and pheasant {Tctnio uiuhrlins) ." 



Xuttall, in describing the nest, says that it is "large and compact, in the 

 fork of a small tree, and sometimes in an apple tree, composed externally of 

 dried grass, with whitish muss, and well lined witii feathers." 



The eggs are from four to six in number, of a dirty lead-colored white, 

 and marked more or less thickly around the greater end with dashes and 

 spots of brown of different shades. Dimensions of eggs, 1.12 by .78 inch. 



There are several genera in this group, with a gieat many species scattered 

 over the world. These birds are of simUar habits with the one we have 

 described. 



We find the following, account of the impaling habits of tlie English 

 Butcher-Bird in the Architecture of Birds. 



"A gentleman who was fond of reading Bufibn, and similar works on 

 natural history, expressed to us his doubts of the account originally given by 

 Heckwelder of the butcher-bird {Lanias coUi<r!o) stickino- insects on tlie 

 point of a thorn, as a bait to allure small birds within its reach. To satisfy 

 ourselves, as well as to settle the doubts of our friend, we undertook to 

 watch the proceedings of the species just named, as also of the great butcher- 

 bird {Lanius excuhilor) , both of which are so common that we found half 

 a dozen of the nests of each within five miles of Lee, in Kent. We dis- 

 covered that near those nests large insects, such as biunblc-bees, and also 

 that the unfledged nestlings of small birds, were stuck upon the thorns." 



Mr. Selby says, " I had the gratification of witnessing this operation of the 

 shrike upon a hedge-sparrow {Acventor modnhtris) , which it had just 

 killed, and the skin of which, still attached to tlie thorn, is now in mv pos- 

 session. In this instance, after killing the Ijird, it liuvered, with the prey on 

 its bill, a short time over the hedge, ajiparently occupied in selecting a tiiorn 

 fit for its purpose. Upon disturbing it, I found the sparrow firmly fixed by 

 the tendons of the wing to the selected twig." 



When confined in a cage the shrike acts in a similar manner, and twists 

 his victim in the wires, so as to secure it while he tears it to pieces. A 

 Xew Holland shrike ( ]anf/a dastfuctor) has been noticed to perform the 

 same act in captivity. It, after strangling a mouse, doubled it through the 

 wires of its cage with every demonstration of savage triumph, and proceeded 

 to tear it, limb from limb, and cat it. 



Of the MttscicKpincc, or Old World Flycatchers, there are a great many 

 species. Our limits will prevent the consideration of more than one, to be 

 considei'ed as type of the whole. 



