SHRIKE, *6* 



It feeds oh infects and fmall birds, the latter of which it feizes by 

 the throat, and after ftrangling, fixes them on a fharp thorn, and 

 pulls them to pieces with its bill*: it will often do this when 

 kept in a cage, flicking the food againft the wires of it f. In 

 ■fpring and fummer it imitates the voices of other birds, by 

 way of decoying them within reach, that it may deftroy them; 

 but beyond this, the natural note is the fame throughout all 

 feafons. If a trap-fall be baited with a living fmall bird, it 

 proves a decoy, by which it may be taken in winter. It is 

 obferved to be mute when kept in a cage, though feemingly 

 content. 



In countries where they are plenty, the hufbandmen value 

 them", on fuppofition of their deftroying rats, mice, and other 

 vermin. Suppofed to live five or fix years J. Often trained up 

 for catching fmall birds in Ruffia ||. M. Salerne^ calls it a Lanner 

 of the fmalleft fort. In Carniola it is migratory, coming in May, 

 and departing in September ** j which is the cafe alfo in refpecl to 

 the few which are met with in England f t. 



La grande Pie-griefche.grife, Brif. orn. ii. p. 146. N° 2. 1, 



Groflere Neun-toder, Erifcb. t. 59. male and female. Var. At, 



Gefner's great Butcher-bird, Will. orn. p. 88. 



'"PHIS fpecies is clearly no other than a variety of the laft Description. 



mentioned, differing only in the lefier wing coverts and 

 fcapulars being fomewhat of a rufous colour : it is of a much 



* Edtv. vol.v. p. 233. f Br. Zoo!. % Olina uccel. p. 4.1. 



j| Edw. vol. v. p. 231. § Orn. p. 28. # * Scop. ann. i. p. 23. 

 f f Albin. vol. ii. p. 13;. 



Y greater 



