l 7 2 lloyu's natural history. 



distinct as in the male ; otherwise as in the latter sex. Total 

 length, 7-5 inches; wing, yg. 



Yonng. — Paler brown than the adult female, the scapulars 

 and margins of the wing-coverts and quills sandy-buff; rump 

 and upper tail-coverts also sandy-buff; crown and hind-neck 

 pale rufous, mottled with sandy-buff and dusky cross-lines ; 

 verts dusky blackish ; no black on the forehead ; under- 

 parts white, freckled with narrow dusky lines on the chest. 



Range in Great Britain. — A rare and occasional visitor to the 

 southern and eastern counties of England. Two instances of 

 its breeding near Freshwater, in the Isle of Wight, are apparently 

 well established. It has occurred as far west as Cornwall, and 

 as far north as Northumberland and Cumberland, but there are 

 no Scotch or Irish records. 



Range outside the British Islands. — A summer visitor throughout 

 the greater part of Europe, being very common in the countries 

 of the Mediterranean. It ranges as high north as the Daltic 

 and the valley of the Vistula, and it is found as far to the east- 

 ward as the Caucasus and Western Persia, and occurs frequently 

 in Asia Minor, Greece, and Palestine. Its winter home lies in 

 North-eastern Africa and in Senegambia, and the bird pro- 

 bably migrates to a certain extent across the Sahara. It does 

 not follow the usual route of migration down the Nile Valley, 

 so far south as the Red-backed Shrike, as the Woodchat is not 

 found in Southern Africa at all, and is replaced on the west 

 coast of Africa by a distinct species, L. rutila?is 



Habits. — Resemble those of other Shrikes, feeding largely on 

 insects, especially grasshoppers and beetles. The note is said 

 to be a harsh krah hack hrah, but, according to Mr. Howard 

 Saunders, the male has a low and rather pretty song in spring, 

 and shows great capacity for imitating the notes of other birds. 

 The Woodchat is a very conspicuous object in the countries it 

 frequents, its white breast being easily seen, as it sits on the top- 

 m< >st twig of a bush or tree, on which it mounts guard. It is said 

 t affection for its young. Mr. Seebohm writes : 

 ■ and Asia Minor I found the Woodchat very com- 

 mon. With the exception of the Piack-headed Bunting 1 found 

 more of its neots than those of any other bird. It is only a 



