GEEAT NOETHEEN SHEIKE. 307 



Irregular and not very common winter visitor from November to April. 

 Neither Dr. Kirtland during the time embraced by his writings, nor Mr. 

 Read, were aware of the presence in Ohio of any other species of this 

 family. The former states that it is an occasional visitor in the cold 

 season, and in the Ohio Farmer (1. c ) that none made their appearance 

 in the mild winter of 1859-60. Mr. Read gives it as rare in his Cata- 

 logue, but in the Family Visitor states that it is "frequently seen at all 

 seasons of the year," which may, I think, indicate the presence of the fol- 

 lowing species. I have been informed that this species breeds in the 

 vicinity of Cleveland, but on an examination of specimens, the White- 

 rumped Shrike had been mistaken for it. The only record of its breed- 

 ing within the State is that of Mr. D. M Marshall, of Oswego, N. Y., 

 (1. c.) who says : 



"The first specimen I ever obtained was about three miles west of Oswego, N. Y. I 

 shot both the male and female of the birds, and also got the nest, which was in an apple 

 tree, about fifteen feet from the ground. The nest was about the size of that of a robin, 

 and was made from twigs and pieces of an old newspaper. It was very nicely lined 

 ■with poultry fcjathers, and contained five eggs, of a light gray color, speckled with 

 darker spots of a greenish-brown. * » f » i found a nest of this kind about two 

 weeks ago, three miles east of Toledo, , in an orchard. The nest was about twenty 

 feet from the ground, and was built upon the top of an old robin's nest. I have found 

 two of their nests since thon." 



The above statement is sufficiently positive, but not sufficiently min- 

 ute as to identification. Mr. Marshall writes from a locality where Dr. 

 Brewer writes me the Northern Shrike breeds " sure enough," but I am 

 not so sure that Mr, Marshall has not mistaken excubitorides for horealis, 

 and have endeavored to obtain from him more definite information, thus 

 far without success. Until we have more than a simple assertion to that 

 effect, the case of the Northern Shrike breeding in Ohio must be consid- 

 ered as not proven. 



The Shrikes are the "Bushwhackers" among birds. No others are 

 so notorious for cruelty and rapacity. They kill not only for food, but 

 apparently for the gratification of a blood-thirsty instinct, which has 

 no parallel among our Birds of Prey. They alone, of all birds, impale 

 their victims upon thorns and twigs. Their food consists of mice, small 

 birds, beetles and grasshoppers. They capture mice and birds much in 

 the manner of hawks, lying in wait for and pouncing upon them from 

 an elevation. If their captive is not required for immediate use, it is 

 impaled by the neck upon a thorn or sharp twig. Mr. Marshall says 

 that he has seen a bird "flying towards its nest with a mouse hanging 

 from the bill by the neck. The bird alighted on a twig, and holding 



