SHRIKES. 
161 
(Lanins collar is) that the following check was given to a 
plague of locusts. The account was sent from the Cape of 
Good Hope in 1829. During the spring of that year, the 
locusts abounded to such a degree on the southern coasts of 
Africa, that the whole country was completely ravaged, and 
the most serious apprehensions were entertained for any re- 
newal of vegetation which the rains might promote, when 
the locust-birds made their appearance in vast flocks and 
successfully interfered. The writer adds, that their mode of 
attacking, and destroying, and impaling these destructive 
insects, was quite extraordinary, and far surpassed all human 
efforts. 
Mr. Selby, a celebrated English naturalist, was fortunate 
enough to see the whole process of pinning a Hedge-sparrow 
by one of these Butcher-birds. Having seized his victim, he 
immediately killed it, and then hovered with it in his hill for 
a short time over the hedge, apparently occupied in selecting 
a thorn suited to his purpose. Upon disturbing it, and 
advancing to the spot, he found the Sparrow already firmly 
fixed by the tendons of the wing, at the selected twig. In 
another instance, a Shrike was observed busily occupied near 
a thorn hedge; on examination, three frogs, and as many 
mice, were found regularly spitted on thorns. With the 
design of catching this Butcher-bird, six very small steel 
traps were set, baited with mice. On the following day two 
of the traps were found to he sprung, and the baits gone. 
As it was not an easy matter to accomplish this without 
being caught, the traps were then watched. At length, the 
Shrike approached, and darting down, was rising perpen- 
dicularly with his prize ; hut in this instance, notwithstanding 
the celerity of his movements, the teeth of the trap caught 
his claws and secured him by two of the toes. The bird was 
put in a room, in which a thorn-bush was placed, and some 
dead mice provided, one of which he was soon observed to 
seize, and spit on a thorn with the greatest quickness and 
dexterity.^ 
That one of the reasons for thus transfixing their prey is 
<> * Lin. Trans., vol. xv. 
M 
