The Loggerhead Shrike in Massachusetts 



123 



In the next few days (during which Mr. Torrey had kindly given me 

 the information that he knew of but one other Massachusetts record of 

 the Loggerhead Shrike) I made diHgent search for the nest, which I was 

 positive, from the feeble efforts of the young at flying, could not be far 

 away. It was, however, only after a week's careful and systematic search 

 in all the trees of the neighborhood, that I discovered it in a lowly brush - 

 heap, within ten inches of the ground. This heap of brush had served them 



LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE AND ITS NESTING -SITE 



as a vantage-ground, together with the neighboring fence-rails, from which 

 they pounced on the grasshoppers and crickets which constituted their sole 

 diet, so far as I could judge. 



The nest was a bulky structure, and was composed largely of chestnut 

 catkins, with a mingling of pieces of string, rootlets, twigs and dried 

 grasses; while the interior was deftly lined with fern -down and other soft 

 substances. 



A curious thing about the young Shrikes was their lack of confidence 

 in their powers of flight; for, on two occasions, by stepping boldly toward 

 one which was feeding on the ground, I was able, literally, to run it down. 



