74 GREA T AMERICAN SHRIKE, OR BUTCHER BIRD. ' 



appearance, for he possesses these qualities in a very eminent 

 degree. He is represented on the plate rather less than his 

 true size, but in just proportion, and with a fidelity that will 

 enable the European naturalist to determine whether this be 

 really the same with the great cinereous shrike (Lanius ex- 

 cubitor, Linn.) of the eastern continent or not ; though the 

 progressive variableness of the plumage, passing, according to 

 age, and sometimes to climate, from ferruginous to pale ash, 

 and even to a bluish white, renders it impossible that this 

 should be an exact representation of every individual. 



This species is by no means numerous in the lower parts of 

 Pennsylvania, though most so during the months of Novem- 

 ber, December, and March. Soon after this, it retires to the 

 north, and to the higher inland parts of the country to breed. 

 It frequents the deepest forests ; builds a large and compact 

 nest in the uptight fork of a small tree, composed outwardly 

 of dry grass and whitish moss, and warmly lined within with 

 feathers. The female lays six eggs of a pale cinereous colour, 

 thickly marked at the greater end with spots and streaks of 

 rufous. She sits fifteen days. The young are produced early 

 in June, sometimes towards the latter end of May; and during 

 the greater part of the first season are of a brown ferruginous 

 colour on the back. 



When we compare the beak of this species with his legs 

 and claws, they appear to belong to two very different orders 

 of birds ; the former approaching, in its conformation, to that 

 of the Accipitrine; the latter to those of the pies; and, indeed, 

 in his food and manners he is assimilated to both. For though 

 man has arranged and subdivided this numerous class of ani- 

 mals into separate tribes and families, yet nature has united 

 these to each other by such nice gradations, and so intimately, 

 that it is hardly possible to determine where one tribe ends, 

 or the succeeding commences. We therefore find several 

 eminent naturalists classing this genus of birds with the 

 Accipitrine, others with the pies. Like the former, he preys 

 occasionally on other birds ; and, like the latter, on insects, 



