“Yes, surely; these nests are very strong and firm, often lasting a whole year.”

“I know it—­I made it!—­Would you think it?” called a musical voice from the wood.

“Why, he is at it yet,” said Rap; “I think ‘The Talker’ would be a fine name for him.”  “So it would—­and more polite than ‘The Preacher,’ as some call him who think he is a trifle too prosy in his remarks.  One of his brothers, whose eyes are white instead of red, and who lives in the bushes instead of high woods, is called ‘The Politician’ from his fondness for newspapers—­not that he can read them, of course, but he likes to paper his nest with clippings from them, which is his way of making a scrap-book.”

The Red-eyed Vireo

Length about six inches.

Upper parts olive-green, with a white line over the eye, and gray cap with a black border.

Under parts white, shaded with greenish on the sides.

A Summer Citizen of North America east of the Pacific States, and a hard-working member of the guild of Tree Trappers.

THE GREAT NORTHERN SHRIKE

(Or BUTCHER BIRD)

“I thought you would tell about my beautiful red bird next,” interrupted Dodo.  “Why do we want to hear about this bird if he lives so far north?”

“Your bird will come later on, little girl.  Nat and Rap must each have their turn before it comes to you again; besides, this Shrike is a sort of cousin to the Vireos by right of his hooked beak, and you know I am trying to place our birds somewhat in their regular family order.”

Poor Dodo felt ashamed to have seemed selfish and interrupted unnecessarily.

“Some winter or early spring day, when the woods are bare and birds are very scarce, you will look into a small tree and wonder what that gray and black bird, who is sitting there so motionless, can be.  He is too small for a Hawk, though there is something hawk-like about his head.  He is altogether too large for a Chickadee; not the right shape for a Woodpecker; and after thus thinking over the most familiar winter birds, you will find that you only know what he is not.

[Illustration:  Northern Shrike.]

“Suddenly he spreads his wings and swoops down, seizing something on or near the ground—­a mouse perhaps, or a small bird—­let us hope one of the detestable English Sparrows.  Or else you may see this same bird, in the gray and black uniform, peep cautiously out of a bush and then skim along close above the ground, to secure the field-mouse he has been watching; for the guild of Wise Watchers catch their prey in both of these ways, and most of them are cannibal birds.”

“What is a cannibal bird?” asked Dodo.  “I forget.  I know that real cannibals are people that eat other people.  Do these birds eat people?”

“They eat birds and other small animals,” said Rap.  “Don’t you remember?”