418 
SHRIKE. 
consider its singular manner of killing and devouring 
its prey. It will seize small birds by the throat, and 
strangle them ; after which it fixes them on a thorn, 
and then pulls them to pieces with its bill. This 
made the Germans call it the wurch angel, or suffo- 
cating angel. The Russians tame these birds for 
the diversion they afford them in killing their prey. 
They stick a rod with a sharp point into the wall 
of a room, on which the shrike perches, and turn 
loose a small bird, which the butcher instantly 
seizes by the throat, strangles, and then spits it on 
the point of the stick, drawing it on with its claws 
and bill. In this manner it serves as many as are 
put into the room, and afterwards eats them, thus 
impaled, at its leisure. 
This species of shrike is about the size of a thrush, 
and has a strong hooked bill, well calculated for the 
office which nature has appointed it to perform. 
These birds breed among the hills, either on the 
ground, or on the loftiest trees. Their nest is made 
with heath and moss, and lined with wool and 
gossamer ; this they generally fasten to the triple 
cleft of a branch. In this warm bed of down the 
female deposits five or six little eggs of a dull olive- 
green, spotted at the thickest end with black ; and 
as soon as the young make their appearance, she 
provides for them a meal of caterpillars and other 
insects : in a little time, however, she leaves this 
simple food and instructs them in carnage, teaching 
them to eat bits of flesh, which her mate brings 
with wonderful care and attention. The character 
