THE HEDGE SPARROW. 563 



enough to draw attention as the bird flies through the underwood ; 

 but at all events it is only a short ciy, and the bird is soon out 

 of sight ; but the Shrike remains on or near the nest while it con- 

 tinues to utter its harsh screams, and flies away noisily when the 

 intruder is close at hand. 



The nest itself is large, and not concealed with any care, while 

 around it are stuck humble bees, cocktail beetles, ground beetles, 

 and a variety of other insects, each impaled upon a thorn, and 

 forming admirable indications to the nest-hunter. Sometimes, 

 but seldom, young birds are impaled instead of insects, and in 

 such cases they are always callow nestlings, and are fixed 

 by a thorn run between the skin and the flesh, instead of being 

 pierced through the body, as is the method employed with 

 insects. 



There is a popular idea that the bird always has nine impaled 

 creatures at hand, and that when it eats one it catches another, 

 and with it replaces the one which has been eaten. In conse- 

 quence of this notion, which prevails through several countries, 

 the bird is called Nine-killer. The generic name, Enneoctonus, 

 is composed of two Greek words which have a similar significa- 

 tion. So strongly is this idea held by some persons, that I 

 have seen a treatise upon instinct, where the Shrike was gravely 

 produced as an example of arithmetical powers possessed by 

 birds. These theories generally fail when confronted by facts. 

 I have seen numberless Shrikes' nests ; and, though in some cases 

 there may been nine impaled animals, in some there were more 

 and in others less. 



The nest itseK is neatly, though loosely, built of roots, moss, 

 wool, and vegetable fibres, and is lined with hair. I have mostly 

 noticed it about five feet from the ground ; and, although it is said 

 to be closely hidden, have always found it a peculiarly con- 

 spicuous nest. 



The last branch-building bird which will be mentioned in 

 these pages is the well-known Hedge Sparrow, or Hedge 

 AcCENTOE, as it ought rightly to be called {Accentor modularius). 

 The bird derives its popular name from two peculiarities, one 

 of person and the other of habits. As its general tints are brown 

 and black, the name of Span-ow has been given to it, although 

 it rightly belongs to the warblers. It may easily be distin- 



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