192 
SHRIKES. 
indeed, in all respects, as far as concerns each other, 
the most amiable birds imaginable. They never 
drive them off, but live together on the best terms 
till the following season, when they separate by the 
instinctive laws of nature, each to procure its mate. 
This, we are sorry to say, is the only redeeming 
good quality we can point out in the character of 
the Shrike genus ; for in all other respects, their 
whole lives seem to be spent in dealing out death 
and terror to their fellows of the feathered creation. 
A London bird-catcher, not long ago, caught one of 
them ( Lanius excubitor ,) in his clap-net, in the act 
of pouncing down upon a valuable decoy Linnet. 
At first he thought himself fortunate in capturing 
so rare and valuable a prize, but in a very short 
time he was glad to get rid of it at any price, for 
though it fed well on small birds and raw meat, and 
seemed tolerably accustomed to confinement, the 
moment it opened its mouth, and uttered its well- 
known note, his whole collection of singing birds 
were put to silence. All small birds, indeed, have 
the strongest antipathy to the Shrike, either be- 
traying anger, or moaning, or expressing signs 
of fear when it approaches their nests. They will 
also mob, attack, and drive it away as they do the 
Owl, as if they were well aware of its plundering 
propensities ; and with good reason, for it will con- 
ceal itself in a bush, or perch itself on some upper 
spray, to look out for prey ; and, no doubt, avails 
itself of the absence of the parent birds, in order 
to pillage their nursery of nestlings ; for a game- 
keeper, who was in the habit of rearing Pheasants, 
observed, that if any of his brood were weak or 
