150 THE BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



Lesser Grey Shrike. Lanius minor Gmel. 



The Lesser Grey Shrike is a native of south and central 

 Europe and western Asia, and winters in tropical Africa. It 

 has, not infrequently, wandered into northern Europe, even so 

 far as Sweden and Finland, and has been met with in several 

 widely separated localities in Great Britain, from the Scilly 

 Islands to the Shetlands. Most occurrences have been in 

 autumn, but it has been noted in spring. Its food and habits 

 correspond with those of other shrikes, though it is said but 

 seldom to impale its victims. The male has a wide black band 

 on the forehead, and its scapulars as well as back and other 

 upper parts are grey, darker than in the Great Grey, and the 

 under parts are suffused with rose-pink on the breast and flanks. 

 The bill and legs are blackish. The female has a narrower bar 

 on the forehead ; the young bird has none, and its back is 

 brown and barred, its under parts yellowish. Length, 8'5 ins. 

 Wing, 4*6 ins. Tarsus, i in. 



Red-backed Shrike. Lanius collurio Linn. 



The Red-backed Shrike (Plate 59) is a summer visitor to 

 most of Europe and parts of western Asia, and winters in Arabia 

 and Africa. It comes as a rather late migrant to England and 

 Wales, but does not regularly nest north of Cheshire and York- 

 shire, where, and in neighbouring counties, it is local. As a 

 bird of passage in spring and autumn it visits the east coast 

 and even the Orkneys and Shetlands, but is very casual in 

 Ireland. 



Even in the south of England the Butcher Bird seldom arrives 

 before early May, and its stay is short, most leaving before 

 September ; during its residence it does not court concealment. 

 The handsome cock, with distinctive red back and grey head, 

 selects a good look-out post near the site selected for the nest, 



