C 195 ] 



The BuTCHER-BlRD. 



Mr. Bell, a curious and inquifitive gentle^ 

 man, long a refident in Ruflia, informed his 

 friend, Mr. Colinfon, (April 5th, 1745) that the 

 Great, or Afh^coloured Butcher-bird, is often 

 taken by the bird-catchers in RufTia, and made 

 tame. Mr. Bell had one given him ; and he 

 fixed a fharpened flick, or long fkewer, in the 

 wall, for the bird to rooft on, with the point 

 outward : but the curiofity was, the fingular na- 

 ture of the bird ; for if he let fly a fmall bird, 

 either linnet or green- finch, he would prefently 

 fly from his perch, and feize the little bird in a 

 particular manner by the throat, which fl:ops his 

 breath, and foon kills him. The next extraordi- 

 nary thing obfervable was his carrying the bird 

 he had juft killed to his perch, and Ipitting it 

 on the ftiarp-pointed fl:ick, drawing it on with 

 his bill and claws ; and thus would he ferve one 

 bird after another, fpitting them and letting 

 them hang by the neck, until he eat them at his 

 ieifure. The infl:in6t of fpitting the dead birds 

 is to enable him the better tp pull them to 



pieces j 



