CONCORD 
1896 
November 19 
While on my way down river in the morning, I . . . 
saw two Shrikes, both old and rather white birds. One was 
flitting from tree to tree along the banks near the 
slippery elm tree (a favorite place for Shrikes at all 
seasons when they are with us); the other appeared sud¬ 
denly at the North Bridge just as I was leaving the mixed 
flock above mentioned. When I first saw him, he was in 
hot pursuit of one of the Brown Creepers and both birds 
were about over the middle of the river and scarce a yard 
apart. The Creeper made straight for the big elm which 
stands at the eastern end of the bridge. When he reached 
it, the Shrike's bill was within six inches of his tail, 
but he nevertheless escaped, for an instant after the 
two birds doubled around behind the trunk the Shrike rose 
to the topmost spray of the elm, where he sat for a minute 
or more, gazing intently downward, evidently watching for 
the Creeper. The latter, no doubt, had flattened himself 
against the bark after the usual practice of his kind 
when badly frightened and he had the nerve and good sense 
to remain perfectly still for at least ten minutes. My 
eyes were no better than the Shrike's, for it was in vain 
that I scanned the trunk over and over with the greatest 
care. Feeling soon, however, that the Creeper was really 
there, I waited patiently until at the end of the period 
