remarks, that " cats are known to kill, but never to eat the 

 Shrew, which is fuppofed to poffefs fome poifonous quality ; 

 we have, however, taken from the ftomach of one of thefe 

 birds, no lefs than five." 



During dark and cloudy weather, this fpecies may fre- 

 quently be feen abroad in the day- time, when it preys on 

 final 1 birds, previoufiy to fwallowing of which, it holds them 

 with one claw, and with its bill crufhes the principal 

 bones, beginning at the head and fhifting its poffeffion till it 

 arrives at the other extremity ; it then. generally fwallows them 

 without plucking or feparating ; and ejects the Ikin, fur, 

 feathers, and bones, in the form of pellets ; large quantities 

 of which may often be found in the places where this bird 

 breeds. 



It builds in barns or old ruinous buildings, and fometimes in 

 the decayed hollows of trees ; when in a barn the nefl is only 

 a hollow in any heap of flraw or other loofe fubftance ; when 

 it breeds in a tree, the eggs are laid on the foft decayed mould 

 at the bottom of the hole; it lays three or four white eggs 

 fcarcely fo large, but rounder than thofe of the common hen. 



The note of this fpecies is remarkably unpleafant and dis- 

 cordant, being in the fpring a loud harm fcream, mofl gene- 

 rally uttered while on wing ; when preffed by hunger, it 

 frequently fqueaks in the manner of the common moufe, 

 which may ferve as a decoy to allure them within its reach ; 

 it alfo utters a loud hiffing noife during the greater part of the 

 night ; when difpleafed or alarmed it fnaps its bill with great 

 force. This bird is eafily tamed and foon becomes familiar ; 

 in confinement it will devour moil kinds of animal fubftance s, 

 and alfo bread. 



