AMERICAN BUTCHER BIRD. 
85 
to proportionably strong ; and arc unequal 
of iR grasping and tearing his prey, like those 
'he owl and falcon kind* He, therefore, wisely avails 
j^.Wself of the powers of the former, both in strangling 
** and in tearing it to pieces while feeding. 
^ he character of the butcher bird is entitled to no 
all**!''-'*'* degree of respect. His activity is visible in 
his motions; his courage and intrepidity beyond 
^ ®'’y other bird of his size, (one of his onui tribe only 
fo tyranmis, or king bird ;) and in aft'ection 
ci-t** he is surpassed by no other. He asso- 
ivith them in the latter part of summer, the 
la '** * finnily hunting in company. He attacks the 
j^'gest hawk or eagle in their defence, with a resolution 
“'y astonishing ; so that all of them respect him, and. 
If *ycry occasion, decline the contest. As the snows 
j. "'inter approach, he descends from the moiintainons 
"'jests, and from the regions of the north, to the more 
‘hvated parts of the country, hovering about our 
"dgerows, orchards, and meadows, and disappears again 
in April. 
ana American shrike is ten inches in length, 
" thirteen in extent ; the iqiper part of the head, 
"k, and back, is pale cinereous; sides of the head, 
^^eavly white^ crossed with a bar of black that passes 
n ?I? "ostril, through the eye, to the middle of the 
_ "k ; the whole under parts, in some specimens, are 
iv'fK ^ " bite, in others more dusky, and thickly marked 
tj'^k minute transverse curving lines of light brown ; 
j ® "ing-s are black, tipt with white, with a single 
"f white on the primaries, just below their coverts ; 
" Scapulars, or long downy feathers that fall over the 
(g*i|'®'‘ part of the wing, are pure white; the rump and 
cu a very fine gray or light ash ; the tml is 
""'k'rm, consisting of tweive feathers, the two middle 
Wh'** " '‘"'iy black, the others tipt more and moi’c with 
to the exterior ones, which are nearly all white ; 
. lc?s, feet, and claws, are blade ; tbe beak straight, 
of a light blue colour, the upper mandible 
thick.' 
