OF NEW ENGLAND. 165 
any sounds. About the middle of March I observed a pair 
in a field overrun with mice, and heard their extraordinary 
note, brief and often repeated, which resembled the buzz of a 
small insect (with somewhat of a squeal intermixed?). I at 
first, in my haste and ignorance, attributed this sound to the 
field mice, but afterwards supposed that it was probably a 
cry confined exclusively to the mating-season of the birds, to 
whom it certainly belonged. 
I shall close this biography by inserting a very entertaining 
passage from an old English book on Falconry, which I find 
quoted in Mr. Wood’s interesting book, ‘‘ Homes without 
Hands.” i 
‘Sometimes upon certain birds she doth use to prey, whome 
she doth entrappe and deceive by flight, for this is her desire. 
She will stand at pearch upon some tree or poste, and there 
make an exceeding lamentable crye and exclamation, such as 
birds are wonte to do, being wronged or in hazard of mischiefe, 
and all to make other fowles believe and thinke that she is very 
much distressed and stands in need of ayde; whereupon the 
credulous sellie birds do flocke together presently at her call 
and voice, at what time if any happen to approach neare her 
she out of hand ceazeth on them, and devoureth them (un- 
grateful subtill fowle!) in requital for their simplicity and 
pains. 
“ Heere I end of this hawke, because I neither accompte her 
worthy the name of a hawke, in whom there resteth no valor 
or hardiness, nor yet deserving to have any more written upon 
her propertie and nature. For truly it is not the property of 
any other hawke, by such devise and cowardly will to come by 
their prey, but they love to winne it by main force of wings at 
random, as the round winged hawkes doe, or by free stooping, 
as the hawkes of the Tower doe most commanly use, as the 
falcon, gerfalcon, sacre, merlyn, and such like.” 
(B) toupovicranus. Loggerhead Shrike. 
(But rarely obtained so far to the northward as Massachu- 
setts.) 
