Birds of Lucknow. 537 



111 this it breeds abundantly during the rains^ making a lovely 

 little egg-shaped nest, with a hole in the side near the 

 top. The structure is composed o£ thin strips of the grass, 

 and is unliued. The eggs, four or five in number, are of two 

 types : {a) green, with black, brown, and purple blotches and 

 streaks ; [h) pinky white, with similar marks. The latter 

 are very uncommon. 



Average of 62 Lucknow eggs (green) .... •60"X'45" 

 Measurement of largest egg '62" x "45" 



„ smallest egg "oS" x '44" 



Average of 8 Luclaiow eggs (white) .... '57" X '41" 

 Measurement of largest eg^ "59" x "42" 



„ smallest ii§^ •56" x "42" 



It may be noted that all small birds and Warblers are 

 here called "' Phutki " indiscriminately. 



No. 469. Lanius lahtora. Indian Grey Shrike. 



Safed. lahtora [H.]. Big-caste Butcher-bird [Anglo- 

 Indian boys] . 



The Grey Shrike, though not numerous, is widely dis- 

 tributed, and is particularly partial tobabool-topes. It feeds 

 on crickets, locusts, lizards, and the like. It may 

 occasionally seize a sickly or young bird, but I have never 

 actually seen it do so. It breeds from the beginning of 

 March to the beginning of July. I have found a considerable 

 number of the nests, always massive cups of thorns, rags, 

 tow, grass, and feathers, neat and warm internally, but very 

 untidy externally, and often visible for some distance away. 

 Nineteen out of twenty are in babool trees, but once I shot 

 a bird off a nest with four eggs in a sheshum tree about 

 six feet from the ground. 



When there are eggs only, the bird is very shy, and it is 

 often difficult to get a good view of it as it flies away. 

 For the above-mentioned specimen I had to wait nearly an 

 hour before I could get a chance of a shot. When there 

 are young it is quite another matter, and the parents are in 

 general very bold. On one occasion, as I was examining 

 her brood, the hen ran up and down the branches close to 

 me just like a squirrel. The greatest number of eggs which I 



