The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1894-11-21
THE BUTCHER BIRD.
HE KILLS FOR PLEASURE AND PUTS
HIS VICTIMS OUT TO DRY.

lie Hangs Snakes, birds ana Chpmunks
on Thorn Bushcs-A vcritabic Terror of
the woois-A Born Thicy ~ Well M
Murdercr-The Half Breed idea.
No bird nntivo to this country IS 50
little known and surely none has such
striking habits of life rs the shrikc, or
butcher bird. lie is a member of fam
lily comprising some 600 species, Of
which only one we'll defined subfamily
is resident in North America. Bold,
daring, handsome, he is at once tho
braugart and the bean of the woods. At
little distance sputhcrncr would
readily mistake him Cor the mocking
bird
HI. BLUSH gray plumngo, tail tipped
with whitc and broad blacl, patch across
ooch eye give him trim, jnunty mir
quite pleasing TO thc eye, but, alas, n
dreaded object 70 smaller and weaker
birds His habitat ia northern North
America, and though he breeds in the
high ground of New England and New
York ho grows moro common after the
Canadian line is crossed
Tho shrikc Is born tyrant. Not con-
tent with killing and dcvouring all in
sects largo enough 60 attract his fancy,
he ATTACKS snakes, mclos, micc and small
birds whenever opportunity offers. His
disposition Is us unloyahlc nc homo rs
abroad, for seldom are two or moro seen
together but they are engaged in an ug-
ly family quarrel. They are truly car
nivorOus, and except for certain weak.
& l.,
as true birds of prey.
There is one strange, uncanny char
acteristic, however, which separates this
woodland bully from all known birds.
Naturalists have watched it, studied ii,
pondercd over il and written long pages
of incxplicable explanations Of il, and
common people have doubted In their
superstition or ignorance whether 1t was
the doing Of II bird or demon in bird
form. Today it remains rs deep n mys-
tery rs it was 100 years ago.
This is the puzzle: The butcher bird
in his riotous love of killing slays many
moro victims than he has any possible
use for. He seems to do il for the mere
fun Of the thing Instead of leaving tho
dead, however, he carries them one by
one to some thorny hedge or tree and
there impales them in all sorts of fan
tastic positions in the branches. 1t gives
one n start to come out of n piece of
woods when cunning and SEQ thorn
tree laden with CHASTITY crop of To-
Gusts toads, sparrows, grass snakes, liz
ards and chipmunks.
Ii the shrike ever returned to feed
upon his grim hoard, there would bo an
explanation of his conduct, and he would
be credited with the epicurean taste Of
Thoroughbred vulture who likes things
"a bit gamy." But such is not the
case. Tho weird fruit hangs for days
upon the limbs, and if hawks or crows
do not find and steal it it will rot until
only q few tiny white skeletons remain
to tell of the massacre.
Comparatively few dwellers in the
backwoods know this eccentricity of the
butcher bird, and hence arise many Gu
rious and apparently we'll authenticat-
ed stories OF trees that catch birds in
their branches and Of storms that rain
ed down toads and lizards, so that the
trees were full of them.
The butcher bird is born thief as
well as murderer and often meets his
death while hopelessly endeavoring TO
kill and carry off tame pet bird from
cage IN TO rob hunters cabin of
fresh meat. Any tidbit he finds he will
steal, even il only to suspend it from
locust bough hard by. The Canadian
fur traders and trappers dcspise him
heartily and never lose a chance to kill
him. The half breeds call him whisky
joe and claim he is half drunk all
the time, and hence does these foolish
things.
He will spy out tho most carefully
hidden trap and always manage to pur
loin the bait without being caught. The
wild country north Of tho great lakes is
favorite haunt of these butchers, and
the Indians who hunt and sell furs to
the Hudson Bay company complain Bit
terly Of the ,depredations of Whisky
Joe"
The shrike builds a bulky, somewhat
elaborate nest of heavy sticks below.
and upon this foundation warm cover
ing Of bark, leaves and grass is laid. 1t
Is usually in some low tree, and the
eggs, which are somewhat smaller than
o pigeons, ape decidedly pretty. They
are of a grayish green mottled, speoked
and scratched with reddish brown. The
young nestlings begin their education
by wrangling and fighting as soon las
lhatched, in which amiable diversion
their fond parents set themstriking and
perpetual examples. New York World.
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A VIII on n Cancelled Hond.