148 NATURAL HISTORY. 
group to which they properly belong. The Shrikes, or 
Butcher-birds, are the typical family of the Dentirostral 
group, having the tooth-like projection very prominent, 
as seen in Fig. 117. They may be styled the Raveners 
of the order of Perchers. In their habits they resemble 
the Raptorial birds. They sit motionless on their perch 
watching for their prey, which consists of small birds, 
quadrupeds, and reptiles, and the larger insects, such as 
grasshoppers. It is by a sudden darting movement that 
they take their prey. Many of them have the curious 
habit of impaling their victims upon thorns, showing how 
appropriate is their name; and they sometimes do this to 
so many more than they need for themselves, that some 
are left to dry and decay in this position. Mr. Nuttal 
says of the American Shrike that it has great powers of 
imitation, which it uses sometimes to decoy other birds 
into a near approach, so that it may make them its vic- 
tims. Its murderous propensity is very strong. One 
of them, it is related by Mr. J. Brown, of Cambridge, at- 
tacked a cage in a window containing two Canaries. In 
its fright one of the little birds put its head through the 
bars, which was snapped off by the Butcher-bird, leaving 
the dead body in the bottom of the cage. The next day, 
when the cage was in the room, this bold murderer en- 
tered for another attack, but was driven off. 
246. The family of Warblers consists of small birds 
having rather long and slender bills, with the tip slight- 
ly curved and notched. It contains a large proportion 
of those species which are most remarkable for their 
powers of song. Among them are the Bluebird and 
Chickadee of this country, and the Nightingale of Eu- 
rope. Of this last Izaak Walton thus quaintly speaks: 
“But the Nightingale, another of my airy creatures, - 
breathes such sweet, loud music out of her instrumental 
throat, that it might make mankind to think that mira- 
cles are not ceased. He that at midnight, when the very 
laborer sleeps securely, should hear, as I have very often, 
