i6o 
SINGING BIRDS. 
thickly marked at the greater end with spots and streaks of 
rufous. The period of sitting is about 15 days. The young 
appear early in June or the latter end of May. 
The principal food of this species is large insects, such as 
grasshoppers, crickets, and spiders. With the surplus of the 
former, as well as small birds, he disposes in a very singular 
manner, by impaling them upon thorns, as if thus providing 
securely for a future supply of provision. In the abundance, 
however, which surrounds him in the ample store-house of 
Nature, he soon loses sight of this needless and sportive econ- 
omy, and, like the thievish Pie and Jay, he suffers his forgotten 
store to remain drying and bleaching in the elements till no 
longer palatable or digestible. As this little Butcher, like his 
more common European representative, preys upon birds, 
these impaled grasshoppers were imagined to be lures to attract 
his victims ; but his courage and rapacity render such snares 
both useless and improbable, as he has been known, with the 
temerity of a Falcon, to follow a bird into an open cage sooner 
than lose his quarry. Mr. J. Brown, of Cambridge, informs me 
that one of these birds had the boldness to attack two Canaries 
in a cage, suspended one fine wunter’s day at the window. The 
poor songsters in their fears fluttered to the side of the cage, 
and one of them thrust his head through the bars of his prison ; 
at this instant the wily Butcher tore off his head, and left the 
body dead in the cage. The cause of the accident seemed 
wholly mysterious, till on the following day the bold hunter 
was found to have entered the room, through the open window, 
with a view to despatch the remaining victim ; and but for 
timely interference it would have instantly shared the fate of 
its companion. On another occasion, while a Mr. Lock in this 
vicinity was engaged in fowling, he wounded a Robin, who 
flew to a little distance and descended to the ground ; he soon 
heard the disabled bird uttering unusual cries, and on approach- 
ing found him in the grasp of the Shrike. He snatched up the 
bird from its devourer ; but having tasted blood, it still fol- 
lowed, as if determined not to relinquish its proposed prey, 
and only desisted from the quest on receiving a mortal wound. 
