THE YOUNG OOLOGIST. 



157 



White-rumped Shrike. 



One of the most interesting of the Pa- 

 cific Coast birds is the White-rumped 

 Shrike (Collyria excubitor — Baird), which 

 is found in considerable numbers in the 

 southern half of the Pacific States. I do 

 not remember to have met with it north of 

 the latitude of San Francisco, but proceed- 

 ing south from that line, the Shrike, or 

 Butcher-Bird, as it is here called, is often 

 seen, and in most cases regarded as a wel- 

 come friend. The familiar name "Butcher 

 bird" is often applied to other members of 

 the ILanidm, and especially to "C. Borealis," 

 but the name seems to be more appropriate 

 for the White rumped Shrike, owing to the 

 exercise of that peculiar characteristic, 

 which so long since suggested the name. 

 The Butcher bird, as described by Baird 

 seems to be different from the one found 

 here in size somewhat, but the difference 

 does not give room for other classification. 

 The description given by a prominent na- 

 turalist, of it having ' 'the power of imitat- 

 ing the sounds of other birds, especially of 

 those indicating distress," I do not find 

 true here, although I may be in error in 

 this particular ; but the one habit which 

 distinguishes them so pre-eminently from 

 all others cannot be mistaken. Through 

 the summer and autumn almost every 

 bush and stalk presents to the observing 

 eye evidences of its industrial trait. Small 

 birds suffer somewhat, but the principal 

 victims are field mice, crickets and grass- 

 hoppers. The barbed wire fences of the 

 plains furnish a favorite place of deposit 

 for their victims. Only two days since I 

 counted twenty-three dead animals, prin- 

 cipally mice and grasshoppers, impaled on 

 the barbs, in walking a distance of only 

 forty-rods along a wire fence. Different 

 theories have been advanced as to object of 

 this piece of procedure, but at last the 

 "object is not well understood." Perhaps 

 it is the same trait, developed in a lesser 

 degree, which causes the Canidse to bury 

 bones and other food as providence for 

 future want. 



By many the Butcher bird is considered 



a friend to the interests of the gardener 

 and horticulturist, as a means of getting 

 rid of the many pests which it destroys, 

 but it is yet to be demonstrated whether or 

 not this has foundation in fact. 

 Cyril Mark, 



Borden, Cal. 



American Redstart. 



{Setophaga ruticilla.) 



Although this bird is not rare in this lo- 

 cality, its nest is seldom taken, as far as I 

 can learn, being rather hard to find. 



Early on the morning of May 18, 1883, I 

 took a walk out to the woods to secure a 

 nest of a Wood Thrush, which I had found 

 the day before. While at this nest, which 

 was about ten feet up in a beech tree, my 

 attention was called to a Redstart which 

 was flying about in the top of the tree and 

 seemingly much annoyed. 



Climbing up I looked about, but not see- 

 ing any nest I began to descend when my 

 eye suddenly fell on the little nest which 

 was placed in the fork of a small branch, 

 about three feet from the trunk. Since 

 that time I have taken many rare eggs, but 

 no discovery has given me greater plea- 

 sure than the finding of this nest. I called 

 to my companion that 1 had found it, and 

 in a moment announced that it held four 

 eggs, three of the owner's and one Cow- 

 bird's, which proved to be perfectly fresh. 



The nest was saddled in the fork, about 

 eighteen feet from the ground, higher than 

 this bird usually nests. It was composed 

 of cottony substances outside, lined with 

 horsehair, and was neatly and compactly 

 built. 



Of the three eggs, two measured each 

 66x49, the other 69x48 inches. When 

 blown they were pure white with a broad 

 ring of light brown and obscure purple 

 spots around the larger end. 

 H. K. .J., 



Philadelphia, Pa. 



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