( 
Mass. 
Lanius boreal i s , 
1392 
March 9. Co ncord .- time stepping backwards and tugging at thejiead with Kills 
. . Field 
( NO . 3 ) all its strength, frequently beating its wings vigorously to > 
, . Mouse . 
add to the force of the pull. This task completed to its ap- 
i 
parent satisfaction (the entire operation consumed at least 
three or four minutes ) the bird resumed its meal^, but in a some- 
what listless manner making long pauses between the mouthful Is. 
Evidently its appetite was ,iat>dutisdted. At length it flew 
into a neighboring tree where it sat for a long time dressing 
its feathers, a decidedly necessary attention, for, as I could 
plainly see through my glass (I now stood within 15 or 20 feet)^ 
its plumage was in sad condition, the feathers of the forehead 
and throat matted and soaked with blood; the breast also.red- 
dened perceptibly and fche^'birrd almost wholly of a carmine tint. 
After getting itself into somewhat better trim it flew into 
some young pines. 
\ 
I now examined the Mouse. The Shrike had not touched any 
part of the body, but the skin had been torn away from the en- 
tire neck and the muscles and other soft tissues were almost 
entirely gone from the shoulders and sternum to the base of 
the skull. The body was untouched and the skull showed no sign 
of injury, but the cheek muscles had been eaten pretty cleanly 
away, as had also the entire throat with the tongue. Both eyes 
were whole and in their sockets. This examination confirmed 
