. The American natural history : a foundation of useful knowledge of the higher animals of North America . Natural history. THE VIEEOS AND SHRIKES 191 covered banks. They are watchful and suspi- cious, but when flushed they do not immediately fly beyond gunshot, as nowadays every bird should do. The Louisiana Water-Thrush strong- ly resembles the wood-thrush, but is one-fourth smaller. THE VIREO FAMILY. Vireonidae. It is quite difficult to point out peculiarities by which the vireos can be distinguished from the warblers. They are placed next to the shrikes because of a supposed resemblance to
. The American natural history : a foundation of useful knowledge of the higher animals of North America . Natural history. THE VIEEOS AND SHRIKES 191 covered banks. They are watchful and suspi- cious, but when flushed they do not immediately fly beyond gunshot, as nowadays every bird should do. The Louisiana Water-Thrush strong- ly resembles the wood-thrush, but is one-fourth smaller. THE VIREO FAMILY. Vireonidae. It is quite difficult to point out peculiarities by which the vireos can be distinguished from the warblers. They are placed next to the shrikes because of a supposed resemblance to those birds in the shape of the upper mandi- ble—hooked and notched. The vireos look so much like warblers that only an expert can distinguish them. The Red-Eyed Vireo1 is distinguishable at close range by its red eye with a white line over it, and the White-Eyed Vireo3 also is marked by the white color of its eyes. Both are fairly good songsters, and the former is about as "do- mestic," in its habit of frequenting the haunts of man, as the yellow warbler. The former ranges from New York northwestward across the conti- nent, the latter only as far as the Rocky Moun- tains. THE SHRHiE FAMILY. Lanidae. The Great Northern Shrike, or Butcher- Bird,3 is a bird of very striking personality. In appearance he is a high-headed, well-dressed dandy. In disposition, he is to-day a fierce lit- tle bird of prey, feeding solely upon flesh food; but to-morrow he will change into a modest in- sect-eater. It seems very odd to find a bird of prey among the Perching-Birds. The Butcher-Bird is a bird of the North, breed- ing from Labrador to Alaska and visiting the LTnited States only in winter, when it is almost impossible to obtain food at home. The species which we find in the United States in summer is the Loggerhead Shrike,4 which closely resem- bles its northern relative, both in form and habits. In the fields, you can easily recognize a Shrike by his bluish-gray back, and large
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