The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-10-21
A HEDGEROW MURDERER,
A Door Of Furtive Crimes is the Great
Northern Shrike-His Curious Song.


Northern Shrike-HisGu Curious Song.
While the rest Of the feathered tribes
are discussing the best air lines southwsrd
the great northern shrke is taking cog
nizance of chill sAles with n view, not
10 changing them for warmer ones, but
to make himself as comfortable as may
be during the winter without shifting his
quarters. The shrike or butcher bird.
as he is appropriately called Is one Of the
birds that stay here The year round.
Consistency in one OF his few good
qualities Like most freeboOters. he is
hardy good fellow and as cold has
no terrors for him he forms a pleasant
feature Of the winter landscape in this
region. for all that, he is the most brutal
murderer that wears feathers.
The shrlke Is the duieiest Of birds, keep
ing his plans and affairs entirely 10 him
self. Except in the nesting season he
almost invariably travels alone a wolf
in Sleeps clothing who takes advantage
Of the fact that he possesses the inno-
cent-lookng plumage ~ "A sOngbrd 10
deceive his victims until his small, sharp
crooked beak has bitten into their brains
lie never strikes like the hawk from the
open. but you win see him. a bird slight
ly smaller than the robin. dark gray and
black with white markings on the wings
and tan. flying along just above the
ground a silent uneven flight from thick
ct to thicket. bush 10 bush and hedge TO
hedge A flock Of little birds. perhaps
chickadces. are busy tn a tree. Quietly
the shrille aliehts Easily and deliberately
he hops from twig % uwig attracting no
special attention. one quick jump "a little
flutter. and the unsuspcctng Chickadees
have lost one Of their friends They nev-
er dreamed That that quaker-cOlored
rlumage concealed a murderer After
few tastes Of HE victim the shrike goes
on and kills another SO blood,hirs'y is
he that he used 20 20 by the name Of
nine-klller. owing to the popular belief
that he killed and impaled on thorns nine
little victims each Jay. OF late years
Il is said that his mathematical accuracy
has deteriorated
Greed OF slaughter al times makes him
very bold and instances are cited where
a shrike has flown IN az a window dashed
at n bird cage, grasped the bars with his
claws and struck at the canary within
with such Vicious pertinacity that he was
finally captured By the indignant owner
OF the bird. one Of the butcher bird
peouliarities Is that he sometimes. as
though ashamed Of his evil ways at
tempts 10 sing. The result IS curious
and not altogether unpieas.ng. II is
as though the spirits Of the countless little
song birds he had siaughtersd were try
ing TO sing together inside Of him and his
throat were too small 10 let the sound ont
resulting In a wondr0us bubbling and CUR
Cling while occasionally a clear note Of
fine music will escape from the medley
of sound 1t IS not often that the shrike
essays this performance, but when he
does he gener- lly delivers his cantata in
the early morning from the topmost
twig Of a tree. with breast thrown out
and head raised n ss devotional an att-
tude as the Pharisce that stood and
prayed.
In the spring he chooses for a nesting
Mace one OF the favorite brshy thorn
trees and builds a rather bulky nest
wherein his mate in order that the race
of shriker. may grow and multiply lays
eggs TO the good'y number OF six, yellow
ism %hite thickly specked and dotted with
darker yellow. And IN a few weeks the
Young pirates are travelling about the
hedges and bushv byways becoming rap
idlv converssnt with the ways that are
dark for which the race of strikers is
peculiar.