. Cassell's natural history . ; it is often known as the New Holland butcher-bird. Mr. W. C. L. Martin says, We have seen one of these birds in captivity, when amouse or small bird has been exhibited in its presence, dart with the utmost eagernessand impatience about its cage, uttering, at the same time, a clamorous chattering, andevincing the utmost state of excitement. If the mouse were jjlaced within its reach, itwould seize it behind its head with astonishing rapiditj and address, by means of its bill,and strangle it with every indication of exulting triumph. The victim being thusdespatche
. Cassell's natural history . ; it is often known as the New Holland butcher-bird. Mr. W. C. L. Martin says, We have seen one of these birds in captivity, when amouse or small bird has been exhibited in its presence, dart with the utmost eagernessand impatience about its cage, uttering, at the same time, a clamorous chattering, andevincing the utmost state of excitement. If the mouse were jjlaced within its reach, itwould seize it behind its head with astonishing rapiditj and address, by means of its bill,and strangle it with every indication of exulting triumph. The victim being thusdespatched, it would next proceed to tix its body tightly between the wires of its cage,putting the head out at one space, turning it over the wire, and bringing it in at the. \I,0TUS CEISTATUS. FALCUNCULUS. next space, so as to render it capable of bearing a firm pull, before proceeding with itswork of tearing it to pieces. Xo doubt, when at liberty, the Vangn Besirucfor impales its victims upon a sharpspire, or fixes them between the prongs of cleft branches, in order to devour them, as isthe case with the European shrike, and it only adopted the mode described because suchinstruments were not accessible. This, however, was not the only singular trait in thebird alluded to. The voice of the Vaiiffci Destructor is full and musical, and its imitativepowers of a first-rate description ; it copies with great precision a tune, the airs of otheranimals, the voices of parrots, and the notes of birds. The wiiter heard the individualalluded to perform a part of one tune in particular, Over the water to Charlie, which itexecuted with great spirit and melody whenever excited. The birds, of which the above are engravings, are nearly allied to the shrikes. THE F
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1854
