GREAT GREY SHRIKE. 139 



by a pilot who captured it three miles out at sea while resting 

 on the " sheet " of his coble ; it lived for several days, feeding 

 on small birds. The adult males with pure white under 

 parts are seldom seen, the bulk of the immigrants being 

 young birds or females ; they linger near the coast for a few 

 days, and then gradually spread over the country. 



The occurrence of quite a young bird of the year at Kilnsea 

 in the East Riding, on 26th August 1877, recorded in the 

 Field (1877, p. 281), is unprecedentedly early. Remaining 

 throughout the winter, it has at that season occurred in 

 most parts of the county, but cannot be said to frequent 

 any locality regularly, though the list of recorded occurrences 

 is very voluminous. Taking its departure on the advent 

 of spring, we must look upon the shooting of one at York, 

 whilst in the pursuit of Fieldfares, on i8th April 1849 i^ool. 

 1849, p. 2452), as a late record. It has occurred on the 

 coast on the return journey as late as the 3rd of May, and 

 six were noted as being seen near Spurn Lighthouse on 

 17th February 1881, doubtless preparing to brave the dangers 

 of the North Sea passage. 



As regards the habits of this bird the late J. Cordeaux 

 remarked (MS.) " I have known one to hover in the air 

 for a few minutes. Kestrel-like, as if uncertain whether 

 to make a swoop on its quarry ; the small immigrants on 

 first arrival in autumn offer an easy prey to this marauder, 

 and both the Redbreast and the Wren fall victims to the 

 cunning Shrike, who will carry off one of these birds in his 

 beak with the greatest ease. The Grey Shrike has great 

 power of concealment, and if shot at and only wounded, 

 where there is any cover as long as sea grass, is almost certain 

 to escape detection, however carefully the ground is looked 

 over." The same observer saw a Great Grey Shrike impale 

 a Goldcrest on the spikes of a wire fence, and one was noticed 

 at Flamborough that had three mice gibbeted on a thorn hedge. 



A curious example, in the collection of Mr. P. Loten of 

 Easington, that was procured at Spurn, had the upper parts 

 dark-plumbeous, the head the darkest ; it was first thought 

 to be the southern L. meridionalis of Temminck, but sub- 



