ty is celebrating with an elaborate menu of slugs； insects' eggs； and oily seeds from the evergreen trees。
For many years this nuthatch； a more northern species than the white…breasted bird； was thought to be only a spring and autumn visitor； but latterly it is credited with habits like its congener's in nearly every particular。
LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE （Lanius ludovicianus） Shrike family
Length 8。5 to 9 inches。 A little smaller than the robin。 Male and Female Upper parts gray； narrow black line across forehead； connecting small black patches on sides of head at base of bill。 Wings and tail black； plentifully marked with white； the outer tail feathers often being entirely white and conspicuous in flight。 Underneath white or very light gray。 Bill hooked and hawk…like。 Range Eastern United States to the plains。 Migrations May。 October。 Summer resident。
It is not easy； even at a slight distance； to distinguish the loggerhead from the Northern shrike。 Both have the pernicious habit of killing insects and smaller birds and impaling them on thorns； both have the peculiarity of flying； with strong； vigorous flight and much wing…flapping； close along the ground； then suddenly rising to a tree； on the lookout for prey。 Their harsh； unmusical call…notes are similar too； and their hawk…like method of dropping suddenly upon a victim on the ground below is identical。 Indeed； the same description very nearly answers for both birds。 But there is one very important difference。 While the Northern shrike is a winter visitor； the loggerhead； being his Southern counterpart； does not arrive until after the frost is out of the ground； and he can be sure of a truly warm welcome。 A lesser distiction between the only two representatives of the shrike family that frequent our neighborhood and they are two too many is in the smaller size of the loggerhead and its lighter…gray plumage。 But as both these birds select some high commanding position； like a distended branch near the tree…top； a cupola； house…peak； lightning…rod； telegraph wire； or weather…vane； the better to detect a passing dinner； it would be quite impossible at such a distance to know which shrike was sitting up there silently plotting villainies； without remembering the season when each may be expected。
NORTHERN SHRIKE （Lanius borealis） Shrike family
Called also： BUTCHER…BIRD； NINE…KILLER
Length 9。5 to 10。5 inches。 About the size of the robin。 Male Upper parts slate…gray； wing quills and tail black； edged and tipped with white； conspicuous in flight； a white spot on centre of outer wing feathers。 A black band runs from bill； through eye to side of throat。 Light gray below； tinged with brownish； and faintly marked with waving lines of darker gray。 Bill hooked and hawk…like。 Female With eye…band more obscure than male's； and with More distinct brownish cast on her plumage。 Range Northern North America。 South in winter to middle Portion of United States。 Migrations November； April。 A roving winter resident。
〃Matching the bravest of the brave among birds of prey in deeds of daring； and no less relentless than reckless； the shrike compels that sort of deference； not unmixed with indignation； we are accustomed to accord to creatures of seeming insignificance whose exploits demand much strength； great spirit； and insatiate love for carnage。 We cannot be indifferent to the marauder who takes his own wherever he finds it a feudal baron who holds his own with undisputed sway and an ogre whose victims are so many more than he can eat； that he actually keeps a private graveyard for the balance。〃 Who is honestly able to give the shrikes a better character than Dr。 Coues； just quoted？ A few offer them questionable defence by recording the large numbers of English sparrows they kill in a season； as if wanton carnage were ever justifiable。
Not even a hawk itself can produce the consternation among a flock of sparrows that the harsh； rasping voice of the butcherbird creates； for escape they well know to be difficult before the small ogre swoops down upon his victim； and carries it off to impale it on a thorn or frozen twig； there to devour it later piecemeal。 Every shrike thus either impales or else hangs up； as a butcher does his meat； more little birds of many kinds； field…mice； grasshoppers； and other large insects than it can hope to devour in a week of bloody orgies。 Field…mice are perhaps its favorite diet； but even snakes are not disdained。
More contemptible than the actual slaughter of its victims； if possible； is the method by which the shrike often lures and sneaks upon his prey。 Hiding in a clump of bushes in the meadow or garden； he imitates with fiendish cleverness the call…notes of little birds that come in cheerful response； hopping and flitting within easy range of him。 His bloody work is finished in a trice。 Usually； however； it must be owned； the shrike's hunting habits are the reverse of sneaking。 Perched on a point of vantage on some tree…top or weather…vane； his hawk…like eye can detect a grasshopper going through the grass fifty yards away。
What is our surprise when； some fine warm day in March； just before our butcher； ogre； sneak； and fiend leaves us for colder regions； to hear him break out into song！ Love has warmed even his cold heart； and with sweet； warbled notes on the tip of a beak that but yesterday was reeking with his victim's blood； he starts for Canada； leaving behind him the only good impression he has made during a long winter's visit。
BOHEMIAN WAXWING （Ampelis garrulus） Waxwing family
Called also： BLACK…THROATED WAX WING； LAPLAND WAX WING； SILKTAIL
Length 8 to 9。5 inches。 A little smaller than the robin。 Male and Female General color drab； with faint brownish wash above； shading into lighter gray below。 Crest conspicuous。 being nearly an inch and a half in length； rufous at the base； shading into light gray above； velvety…black forehead； chin； and line through the eye。 Wings grayish brown； with very dark quills； which have two white bars； the bar at the edge of the upper wing coverts being tipped with red sealing…wax…like points； that give the bird its name。 A few wing feathers tipped with yellow on outer edge。 Tail quills dark brown； with yellow band across the end； and faint red streaks on upper and inner sides。 Range Northern United States and British America。 Most common in Canada and northern Mississippi region。 Migrations Very irregular winter visitor。
When Charles Bonaparte； Prince of Canino； who was the first to count this common waxwing of Europe and Asia among the birds of North America； published an account of it in his 〃Synopsis；〃 it was considered a very rare bird indeed。 It may be these waxwings have greatly increased； but however uncommon they may still be considered； certainly no one who had ever seen a flock containing more than a thousand of them； resting on the trees of a lawn within sight of New York City； as the writer has done； could be expected to consider the birds 〃very rare。〃
The Bohemian waxwing； like the only other member of the family that ever visits us； the cedar…bird； is a roving gipsy。 In Germany they say seven years must elapse between its visitations； which the superstitious old cronies are wont to associate with woful stories of pestilence just such tales as are resurrected from the depths of morbid memories here when a comet reappears or the seven…year locust ascends from the ground。
The goings and comings of these birds are certainly most erratic and infrequent； nevertheless； when hunger drives them from the far north to feast upon the juniper and other winter berries of our Northern States； they come in enormous flocks； making up in quantity what they lack in regularity of visits and evenness of distribution。
Surely no bird has less right to be associated with evil than this mild waxwing。 It seems the very incarnation of peace and harmony。 Part of a flock that has lodged in a tree will sit almost motionless for hours and whisper in softly hissed twitterings； very much as a company of Quaker ladies； similarly dressed； might sit at yearly meeting。 Exquisitely clothed in silky…gray feathers that no berry juice is ever permitted to stain； they are dainty； gentle； aristocratic…looking birds； a trifle heavy and indolent； perhaps； when walking on the ground or perching； but as they fly in compact squads just above the tree…tops their flight is exceedingly swift and graceful。
BAY…BREASTED WARBLER （Dendroica castanea） Wood Warbler family
Length。 5。25 to 5。75 inches。 A little smaller than the English sparrow。 Male Crown； chin； throat； upper breast； and sides dull chestnut。 Forehead； sides of head； and cheeks black。 Above olive…gray； streaked with black。 Underneath buffy。 Two white wing…bars。 Outer tail quills with white patches on tips。 Cream white patch on either side of neck。 Female Has more greenish…olive above。 Range Eastern North America； from Hudson's Bay to Central America。 Nests north of the United States。 Winters in tropical limit of range。 Migrations May。 September。 Rare migrant
The chestnut breast of this capricious little visitor makes him look like a diminutive robin。 In spring； when these warblers are said to take a more easterly route than the one they choose in autumn to return by to Central America； they may be so suddenly abundant that the fresh green trees and shrubbery of the garden will contain a dozen of the busy little hunters。 Another season they may pass northward either by another route or leave your garden unvisited； and perhaps the people in the very next town may be counting your rare bird common； while it is simply perverse。
Whether common or rare； before your acquaintance has had time to ripen into friendship； away go the freaky little creatures to nest in the tree…tops of the Canadian coniferous forests。
CHESTNUT…SIDED WARBLER （Dendroica pennsylvanica） Wood Warbler family
Called also： BLOODY…SIDED WARBLER
Length About 5 inches。 More than an inch shorter than the English sparrow。 Male Top of head and streaks in wings yellow。 A black line running through the eye and round back of crown； and a black spot in front of eye； extending to cheeks。 Ear coverts； c