The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-15
a HRDGEROW MURDERER.
Doer of Furtivs Grimes Is tho Great
Northern Shrike-His Curious Song.

While the rest Of the fcathered tribes are dis.
cussing the best air lines southwark the great
northern strike is taking coGnizance of chill
skies with view, not to changing them for warmer
ones, but 10 making himself comfortable as
may be during the winter without shifting his
quarters The shrkc, or butcher bird as he is
appropriately called is Of the birds that stay
here the year round. Counstancy is one Of his
few good qualities Like most frecbootcrs. he
is a hardy fellow, and as cold has no tcrrors for
him he forms a pleasant feature Of the winter
landscape in this region: for all that he is the
most brutal murderer tina, wears feathers
The shrike is the qlIictest Of birds, keeping
his plans and affairs entirely to himself ES
ccp in the nesting season he almost invariably
travels alone. a wolf in sleeps clothing who takes
advantage Of the fact that he possesses the limo.
centiookng pumage of n Songbrd to deceive
his victims until his small SHARP crooked bcak
has bitten into their brains. He never strikes
like the hawk, from the open but you will sec
him. a bird slightly smaller than a robin, dark
gray and black with white markings on his wings
, and tail, flying along just above the ground a
silent, uneven flight from thickct to thicket bush
to bush and hedge TO hedge 4 flock of little
birds, perhaps chickadeees, are busy in a tree
Quietly the shrikc alghtS. Easily and deliber
ately he hops from twg to twig attracting no spe
cial attention. One quick Jump, little futter
and the unsuspecting chickadees have lost one
OF their friends They never dreamed that that
quaker.cocrcd plumage concealed a murderer
After a few tastes of his victim the shrikc goes
on and kills another. SO bloodhirsty is he that
he used to go by the name Of nine killer owing
| to the popular belief that he killed and impaled
on thorns nine little victims each day. OF late
years it is said that his mathematical accuracy
has dctoriorated
Greed Of slaughter at times makes him yery
Dold ana Instances are cited where shrike has
II wn in at window. dashed at a bird cage
grasped the bars with his claws and struck at the
he was finally captured by the indignant owner
Of the bird One Of the butcher birds peculiar
ite' is that he sometimes, as though ashamed Of
ms evil ways. attempts to sing. The result is
curious ana not altogether Emphasizing II is as
though the spirits Of the countless little song
bir's he had slaughtered were trying To sins.
together inside Of him and his throat were too
small TO Jet tho sound out. resulting in won
dIous bnbbng and gurgling. while occasion
ally clear note Of fine music will cSCape from the
medley n' sound. II Is not often that the Shrike
essays Nus performance, hut when he does he
generally delivers his cantata in the early morn.
ing from the topnost twig Of n tree with breast
thrown out and head raised in as devotional an
attitude as the Pharisee that stood and prayed
In the spring he chooses for a nesting place
one % his tavorit" buShv thorn trees and builds a
rather bulky nest wherein his mate in order
maj me rae" ot ShrkcrS may grow and multiply
lays eggs to the goodlv number Of six yellow iSh
white thicEly speckcd and dotted with darker
yellow. And in a few weeks the young pirates a 70
travelling abiut the hedges and bushy bywavs
becoming rapidly converSant with the ways thai
are dark for which the race 0f ShrikeS is peculiar