68 



successful in breeding- Bengalese and Zebra Finches, 

 liaving reared two nests of six and five of the former, 

 and splendid birds, too. Lucy Dutton. 



THE WOOD-SWALLOW SHRIKES. 



A correspondent asked a question about these birds 

 in last month's Notes, and, as they liave recently been 

 conspicuous at the leading Shows, I think it possible 

 that a good many of our readers may be interested in a 

 short account of them. 



There are some eighteen species of the so-called 

 " Wood-Sw^allows," distributed over Australia and the 

 East Indies, with the exception ofone species which occurs 

 onl}^ in West Africa. Ornithologists differ as to their 

 position in regard to other groups, but I believe most 

 writers now place them next to the Shrikes and not far 

 from the Drongos and the Waxwing. At the British 

 Museum they are placed between the Finches and the 

 Starlings, though Dr. Bowdler vSharpe admits that this is 

 " artificial." He might well characterize it by a stronger 

 word. 



Most of the species are rather smaller than a 

 Waxwing, The plumage is usually of a neutral tint. 

 The bill is very vShrike-like, while the long wings remind 

 one of the vS wallows. They are woodland birds, and are 

 said to be able to float nearh' motionless in the air, and 

 also to wheel and twist about like vSwifts. " The}' hunt 

 for insects, or sally after them from their perches, feeding 

 also upon the ground on the larvae and on seeds. 

 Congregating like Swallows, they have in Australia a 

 curious habit of hanging in ball-like masses from the 

 branches ; the note is plaintive or chirping." 



They appear to be very easy birds to keep in con- 

 dition, provided they are healthy wlieu they reach this 

 country. Any good insectivorous mixture will suit them, 

 and they are voracious feeders. 



The only species which I have seen are the Sordid 



