PERCHING BirRDS. 
long wings and small, weak feet; while their small bills and lens), 
widely opening mouths indicate their manner of feeding. 
In spite of their poor equipment of tools, Swallows take high rank 
as nest builders, and it is interesting to observe that although the birds 
are structurally much alike, their nests often differ widely in character. 
Compare for instance, the mud- made dwellings of the Barn and Cliff 
Swallows with the tunelled hole of the Bank Swallow and one realizes 
how little the character of a bird’s home may depend on the structure 
of it's builder. 
The food of Swallows, remarks Professor Beal, ‘“‘consists of many 
small species of beetles which are much on the wing, many species of 
diptera (mosquitoes and their allies), with large quantities of flying 
ants and a few insects of similar kinds. Most of them are either inju- 
rious Or annoying, and the numbers destroyed by Swallows are not 
only beyond calculation, but almost beyond imagination.”’ 
The true Waxwings, (Family Ampfelid~) number only three species 
with representatives in the northern parts of both hemispheres. Their 
notes, as a rule are limited to a few unmusical calls, which, .with our 
Cedar Waxwing, are usually uttered when the bird is about to fly. 
Waxwings are found in small flocks during the greater part of the 
year and roam about the country as though they were quite as much at 
home in one place as in another, provided food be plenty. Small fruits, 
chiefly wild ones, constitute their usual fare, but they also feed on 
insects, the injurious elm beetle being among their victims. 
The Shrikes, (Family Lanzide) are represented in America by only 
two species, the remaining two hundred or more members of this family 
being found inthe Old World. Shrikes are noted for their singular habit 
of impaling their prey on thorns or similarly sharp-pointed growths, 
or occasionally they may hang it in the crotch ofalimb. This proceed- 
ing enables them to tear it to pieces more readily, for it will be observ- 
ed that while Shrikes have a hawk-like bill, their feet are comparatively 
weak and sparrow-like and evidently of no assistance to them in dis- 
secting their food. 
Our Northern Shrike, or Butcherbird, feeds chiefly on small birds 
and mice, while the southern species, or Loggerhead, is a great de- 
stroyer of grasshoppers and he also eats lizards and small snakes. 
The Vireos, (Family V’ireonide) number fifty species, all American. 
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