RED-BACKED SHRIKE. 579 



down as if to make itself more conspicuous. Last year I amused 

 myself by making a Shrike move up and down a long hedge for 

 a very long time, while I was insect-hunting among the flowers. 

 Whenever the Shrike begins to act in this manner, it may gener- 

 ally be presumed that a nest is at no great distance. 



Then, if perchance the careful observer should note these signs 

 and approach the spot where the nest is placed, the bird sets up a 

 hideous squall, just as if it intended to inform the searcher that he 

 was right at last. The alarm cry of the blackbird is quite enough 

 to draw attention as the bird flies through the underwood; but, 

 at all events, it is only a short cry, 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 alw.ays 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 counties, 

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

 is composed of two Grreek 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 pro- 

 duced 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 have been nine impaled animals, in some there were more 

 and in others less. 



The nest itself 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. 



