142 INSTINCT IN BIRDS. 
after him, with the intention of having him as well as her 
regular food, he hops along just out of reach until he has 
gone quite a distance, when he suddenly flies back to the 
dish and eats until again disturbed. This is continued, un- 
less otherwise disturbed, until the cat tires or the Jay has 
had his fill. 
The spiking of small birds and mice upon thorns is a well 
known habit of the Butcher Bird (Lanius borealis), and, I 
believe, peculiar to the Shrike family (Zanééde), but I think 
that it can scarcely be looked upon as anything more than 
ordinary instinct. 
The following interesting but pathetic incident I witnessed 
early this summer, and I think that it showed more bird rea- 
soning than anything that I have hitherto met with. The 
Blue-headed Vireo (Vireo solitarius) is rather a rare bird in 
this part of the country ; therefore, upon finding my second 
nest containing eggs, I cut off the branch with the nest 
suspended, and thus left no signs of what was once there. 
Being curious to see how the bird would act upon her return, 
I stood behind a tree at aconvenient distance and watched, 
She soon flew to the branch on which the nest had been 
placed, and very carefully examined the spot where I had 
cut it off. She then, after taking a careful survey of the 
branches close to her, flew to the ground exactly under where 
the nest had been placed, and made a long and systematic 
search among the leaves, evidently for her treasures, as she 
ate nothing whatever. If I had not been certain that she 
would be sitting, in two weeks’ time, upon a similar nest and 
eggs, I think that I should very probably ‘have restored the 
nest to its old place. A couple of weeks later, I found her 
second nest and eggs not 50 yards from the former site; and 
Iam happy to say she reared her young in safety. 
T will conclude by speaking of a subject which seems to 
surprise people who know little or nothing about Ornithology. 
It is not directly applicable to the title of this article, but as 
I have not seen any other explanation of the subject given, 
