The Eddy current., 1897-01-09
THE BUTCHER BIRD.
HE KILLS ron PLEASURE AND Pvrg
Ris VICTIMS OUT TO DRY

Murderer The Hale breed Idea.
No bird native 20 this country IL 70
little kpown and suroly mono has such
striking habits of lifo rs the ahrikc, or
hatcher bird Iio Is u member Of fam.
lily comprising somo 200 species, of
which only ono well defined subfamily
n resident In North America Bold,
daring handsome, be- 'is at onco the
brnggnrt and tho boau Of the woods AZ
liitlo distance = EoutherDor would
readily mistake him for the mocking
bird.
His blush gray plumago, tail tipped
with white and broad black patch across
each oyo give him trim, iaunty air
quite pleasing 70 ahe eye, but alas,
dreaded object 20 smaller and weaker
birds His habitat IL northern Norte
America, and though he breeds "a tho
high ground Of Now England and New
York no grows moro common after the
Canadian line is crossed
Tho shriko Is n born iyrant Not co..
tent with killing and dovouring oil in'
socis largo enough 20 attract his fancy.
ho attacks snakes, molos, mice and small
birds whenever oppoi iuulty ofcrs His
disposition IA ag unluvnhlc nt homo ~
abroad. for seldom Hre two on moro seen
t0gOthor hut they gro cnragod IN nn ug.
ly family quarrel They aro truly onr.
nivorous, and osccpt for certain weak.
ncsscs of bono nud muscle would rank
us true hr' Of prey.
ihcro g. Ju0 strange, uncauny char
acteristic however, which separates this
woodland lullY flcm an known birds.
/ Natural 90 hayc watched H. studied Il,
ponleroa ovr- it gud vri,ion long pages
Of lucep'aahlu explanations of a. and
cnuvc1 geops aayn ,ou'tca IN thoir
Superstition or iguugarcj S. loth,ri it was
tir doiug OF n bird or q 1,man in bird
form To-day 80 remains %, ie,u iuys.
| iory us 90 wgl 100 ycna ago
This 81 the rus1lc; The bllrhcr bird
I 10 ha rl0i0us love oi killing Stays many
Imorc vigtims than ho has amy p.lh.8
usH for do seems 60 do 10 fur tlo mrio
/ fun nt ihc lhiua luioa0 ~ lrnyingths
dcd1, however. ho ca4fics thom ouo iy
ono io Nonio thorny bod.H CO.. irDD .H8
/ thp1 iinpllr. Oh 100 ga on sort ul ifu'
/ latic p9ii'crair iio manchet ltrvrs
ono start 90 como ont of % iirro ~
woods whcn cunning upd fo O thorn
, tree laden With Rhmtly ctp of 10.
,u toad inra gfa eiiul.Hi lia'
ard aud rhir
II ih, dii S returned lo f.rd
up,a hia prh hDl, thogc would bonn
Nplunlt Hloi n. rlHduc., ail in wadld
i lc credited With OIL. oppnlaa igin ~
q Thoroughbred yultnrC who iiau- things
"a biz gnmy" liua such g. not tho
case Tho weird iruis hangs fpr days
upon Tie limb, .al ~ hawks of crows
d5 not find and f,cai Kit Wiiliot until
only q Few tiny whiie gkolClnps remain
90 toll % tho ma sarrc,
Comparatively few dwc.lcr in tho
hackwoots know thsrocouirlciiy ~ the
butcher bird, end hcncc urto many cu'
riun nud apparently well aulhouiicat.
/ dd arics oi trees that catch hirlH in
thuir hrmchc aud f storms that ruu.
od down tC1ds and lizards, go that tho
trees wcro hill uf them.
Tho butcher bird Is q born thief as
well az murderer aud often meets his
death whilo hopeles'ly ondoayoring 20
kin and cnrry on tamo pct bird from
cage or to rob hmlor'n cabin oi
fresh meat Any tidhit be- finds he viii
steal, oven n only TO suspend u from a
locust hough hard by, Tho Canadian
fur traders and trappors dospiso him
heartily and novor losu q chance TO XII
him. The half breeds call him Whisky
joe" and claim ho Is half drunk all
the time aud hence docs those foolish
things.
Ilo will spy ont tho m,rt carefully
hidden trap aud always MANAGE 20 pur'
loin the bait without being caught Tho
wild country north Of tho great lakes -
a fnvorlto hnunt of thcao butchers, and
the Indinns who hunt aud sell fura 10
the Hudson Bay company complain bit
torly OF tho doprodatiUns Of Whisky
Joe.
The shrike builds n bulky, somewhat
elaborate nest of heavy sticks below.
and upon tins foundation "a warm cover.
ing OF bark, leaves and grass IL laid. 10
II usually IN sonio low tree, aud the
eggs. which are somewhat smaller than
a pigeons. are decidedly pretty. Ihey
are OF a graylsh green notified, spcckfd
and scratched with reddish brown. Tho
young nestliugs begin their education,
by wranglng and lighting aa soon ~
hatchod, in which amiablo diversion
their fond pafsnta set them striking and
. ] .a.....s.I.a Auasf Vol ANauIH