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； chin； and underneath white。 Back greenish gray and slate； streaked with black。 Sides of bird chestnut。 Wings； which are streaked with black and yellow； have yellowish…white bars。 Very dark tail with white patches on inner vanes of the outer quills。 Female Similar； but duller。 Chestnut sides are often scarcely apparent。 Range Eastern North America； from Manitoba and Labrador to the tropics； where it winters。 Migrations May。 September。 Summer resident； most common in migrations。
In the Alleghanies； and from New Jersey and Illinois northward； this restless little warbler nests in the bushy borders of woodlands and the undergrowth of the woods； for which he forsakes our gardens and orchards after a very short visit in May。 While hopping over the ground catching ants； of which he seems to be inordinately fond； or flitting actively about the shrubbery after grubs and insects； we may note his coat of many colors patchwork in which nearly all the warbler colors are curiously combined。 With drooped wings that often conceal the bird's chestnut sides； which are his chief distinguishing mark； and with tail erected like a redstart's； he hunts incessantly。 Here in the garden he is as refreshingly indifferent to your interest in him as later in his breeding haunts he is shy and distrustful。 His song is bright and animated； like that of the yellow warbler。
GOLDEN…WINGED WARBLER （Helminthophila chrysoptera） Wood Warbler family
Length About 5 inches。 More than an inch shorter than the English sparrow。 Male Yellow crown and yellow patches on the wings。 Upper parts bluish gray； sometimes tinged with greenish。 Stripe through the eye and throat black。 Sides of head chin； and line over the eye white。 Underneath white； grayish on sides。 A few white markings on outer tail feathers。 Female Crown duller； gray where male is black； with olive Upper parts and grayer underneath。 Range From Canadian border to Central America； where it winters。 Migrations May。 September。 Summer resident。
After one has seen a golden…winged warbler fluttering hither and thither about the shrubbery of a park within sight and sound of a great city's distractions and with blissful unconcern of them all； partaking of a hearty lunch of insects that infest the leaves before one's eyes； one counts the bird less rare and shy than one has been taught to consider it。 Whoever looks for a warbler with gaudy yellow wings will not find the golden…winged variety。 His wings have golden patches only； and while these are distinguishing marks； they are scarcely prominent enough features to have given the bird the rather misleading name he bears。 But； then； most warblers' names are misleading。 They serve their best purpose in cultivating patience and other gentle virtues in the novice。
Such habits and choice of haunts as characterize the blue…winged warbler are also the golden…winged's。 But their voices are quite different； the former's being sharp and metallic； while the latter's zee； zee； zee comes more lazily and without accent。