76 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



the species might be open would be that they might devote too 

 much attention to insects and neglect the sparrows. Nor are 

 they likely to become such familiar friends as do the magpies 

 in Norway. In the American pamphlet already referred to 

 several of the correspondents write m praise of the shrike, of 

 which the following example will suffice : Mr. H. K. Coale, 

 wi'iting from Chicago, says, "The northern shrike {Lanius 

 borealis) feeds on them (sparrows) all winter." Mr. Bar- 

 rows, the author of the pamphlet, in writing of natural 

 enemies, says, " Probably the most useful bird in this respect 

 is the northern shrike, which visits most of our northern cities 

 in winter and feeds freely on the sparrow. At one time this 

 shrike became so abundant on the Common and in the Public 

 Gardens in Boston that it threatened to destroy all the 

 sparrows, but the short-sighted authorities kept a man busy 

 in shooting the shrikes until several dozen had been killed, 

 and the useless sparrows were considered safe." From the 

 nature of the migrations of the shrike referred to I fear it 

 would not be suitable for New Zealand. There is another 

 American shrike of less migratory habits, the loggerhead 

 {Lanms Ludovicmnus), though it moves to the southward in 

 winter ; but it is smaller, and, though it eats birds, the greater 

 proportion of its food consists of insects, of which the great 

 majority are of an injurious character. The great grey shrike 

 {Lanius excubitor), which is found in almost every European 

 country, a large part of Asia, and northern Africa, and is an 

 occasional visitant to England, would be more suitable. It is 

 also more or less migratory, but as it is found in France at 

 all seasons of the year it would probably find the climate 

 of New Zealand equally suited to its I'equirements. It, 

 however, frequents woods and forests in the summer, and 

 only visits the more open districts in the winter. It would 

 therefore be more likely to exterminate our native woodland 

 birds than the sparrow. The most likely bird of the shrike 

 family is the red-backed shrike {Lanius colkiris). Tiiis bird 

 has a wide range, being met with as far north as Norway 

 and as far south as Cape Colony. It rarely visits Britain. 

 It is often known as the butcher - bird, and is very pre- 

 datory in its habits. It lives largely on insects, as well 

 as small birds and animals. Dr. Brehm savs, " It often 

 continues to kill long after it has satisfied the cravings of 

 hunger, and pursues small quadrupeds or birds so incessantly 

 as to drive away or destroy all such as have been un- 

 fortunate enough to niake their homes in its vicinity." 

 The woodchat [Lanius rufus) is a summer visitor to southern 

 Europe from Africa, and it is also found at the Cape. Its 

 habits are similar to those of the red-backed shrike, but 

 apparently its chief diet is insects in all stages, and worms. 



