* 
de x 
12 
1 Mr. Peabody on the 
in which it has thus risked its own life and liberty 
in order to secure its prey. But Wilson was of opin- 
ion, that grasshoppers and other insects were its main 
dependence for food, and that it was only when 
pressed with hunger, that it preyed on other birds. 
Still, it has the habit of imitating the notes of other 
birds, particularly such as indicate anxiety and dis- 
tress, and it does it apparently for the purpose of 
bringing the companions of the supposed sufferers 
within its reach. ! 
All who have paid any attention to this bird, have 
remarked its curious habit of impaling on thorns the 
insects it has caught, and there leaving them to de- 
cay. This practice of gathering what he does not 
want, and keeping it till it can be of no use to him, 
is regarded as an unaccountable mystery in a bird, 
while in man, the same proceeding is considered 
natural and wise. It canhardly be meant as a decoy, 
for, as just stated, it has the power of attracting — 
other birds by false appeals to their sympathy; and - 
does not need to take this trouble. It may some- - 
times be heard sending out these false alarms, and — 
when the poor birds collect, in anxiety to learn what 
the matter is, it darts at one of them, and fills the 
air with the cries of a real victim. =, 
Though the feet of this bird are small, the claws 
are sharp, and can inflict a severe wound. Its flight 
is bold and strong, and on this it depends for secur- 
ing its prey. It is seldom, if ever, seen walking on 
the ground. At the approach of spring, most of them 
leave us, though some are said to pass the summer 
in the forests of New England. 
