239 



THE RED-BACKED SHRIKE, OR BUTCHER-BIRD, 



{LANIUS COLLURIO.) 



By STEPHEX STONE, ESQ, 



This species is rather plentiful in Oxon and Bucks; it seldom makes its 

 appearance in these counties before the latter end of A})ril, or the beginning 

 of May, being amongst the latest of our summer birds of passage. 



Altliough apparently of robust frame, it seems unable to bear the cold 

 with the same degree of patience as the diminutive Chiff Chaff, and other 

 species ftir more delicate-looking than itself; for in the unusually cold weather 

 we had in June, 1852, I used to see it sitting shivering on the sheltered side of 

 the hedge, and looking as comfortless, dejected, and woe-begone as our own 

 fair sisters or cousins, ^'the maids of merry England," are wont to look, when 

 through some blunder of papa's, or other inadvertence, they find themselves 

 doomed to a month's sojourn at some "flishionable watering-place." "Furnished 

 apai-tmcnts with attendance" having been "secured" for them for that period, 

 before the commencement, or, worse still, after the close of "the season." 



In one of its habits, that of returning to a particular station, after cap- 

 turing a passing insect, it closely resembles the Flycatcher. 



I have known it take its stand for hours, near where a hay stack has been 

 in the course of formation, for the purpose of pouncing upon the moths which 

 generally abound amongst newly-made hay, and which it seemed to be fully 

 aware would every now and then be dislodged by the men engaged in building 

 the stack, and thus afford it unlimited exercise of its "catch-meif-you-can" 

 abilities, as well as an unlimited supply of food. These moths it generally 

 caught on the wing, but should one chance to ^^come the artful dodge," and 

 endeavour to baffle the intentions of its pursuer, by dropping amongst the 

 herbage, it would be down upon it in a moment, and unless the poor insect 

 had very artfully concealed itself, would be sure to drag it out; and fortunate 

 indeed must that individual be, who by the above, or some other stratagem, 

 succeeded in ^^saving its bacon." 



I have often noticed this bird, when I have been out with the net beating 

 for moths, sitting on a conspicuous branch, and intently watching my pro. 

 cecdings, when, should a moth escape my net, which not unfrequently happened, 

 it would never fail immediately to give chase to it, and after capturing it, 

 which it seldom failed to do, would return to the same, or a proximate branch, 

 and again anxiously watch one's motions, in the hope no doubt of another 

 miss on my part, which would be almost sure to be turned into "a decided 

 hit" on its part. 



I have frequently seen specimens of the Common Humble Bee transfixed 

 upon thorns, evidently the work of these birds. In some instances I have 

 met with them alive, in others dead; but in all apparently deserted, as though 

 after capturing these insects, they had discovered they were useless to them 

 as articles of food; or do they, as do our own venison-loving epicures, consider 



