12 The Rkd-Backrd Shrike 



the Nightingale, the Goldeu Oriole, the Quail, the Black-cap, the Garden Warbler, 

 the Icterine Warbler, the Meadow-, and Tree-Pipits, and Song-Thrush perfectly, 

 and portions of the songs of other birds tolerably well. The only pity is that the 

 voice of this bird is so weak, that it is unable to reproduce the song of many 

 other cage-birds kept at the same time, but it always repays one to tend and care 

 for this songster as a cage-bird ; moreover it is easily and cheaply secured, and 

 also kept alive without difficult}'. This bird, however, should especially be secured 

 by such aviculturists as cannot put up with too loud a bird-song, and who make 

 a point of not keeping several birds on account of their dissimilarity of song, for 

 by its song they will at once be satisfied in both respects." 



Of course this savage though pretty bird should never be turned into an 

 aviary with other birds, as it would undoubtedly murder and devour its companions, 

 even though as large as itself; a flight cage, therefore, is the most suitable home 

 for it : the staple food should consist of egg, pieces of cheese, with the addition 

 of minced raw meat, cockroaches, or other insects, and occasionally a dead mouse 

 or bird : indeed tlie food for all the Shrikes should be almost exactly the same 

 as for most of the Corvincr, but somewhat less varied ; because many of the latter 

 eat fruit, nuts, grain, and even acorns, greedily, as well as the usual soft food. 



In 1904, Dr. Albert Glinther bred this species from hand-reared birds turned 

 into an outdoor aviary. They built in the second week of May in a holly-bush, 

 four feet from the ground ; the nest was of the usual type and well-built ; it 

 contained five eggs which were incubated for fourteen days, all being hatched 

 between the 5th and 6th June : owing to cold weather all died and were removed 

 by the parents. By June 24th the hen was again sitting on five eggs ; these 

 hatched on the 7th and 8th Jul}^ ; two of these died young but the three others 

 left the nest on July 23rd and were successfully reared. In the following year 

 the same pair built in a basket hung in the same holly-bush : incubation com- 

 menced about June loth ; of the four eggs laid, two were hatched on the 24th, and 

 the young left the nest on July loth, and were successfully reared. 



It is best to rear this species from the nest; for then it is supposed to become 

 very tame and confiding ; my brief experience of the bird, caught when quite 

 young, aud given to me on the 12th August, 1896, is that it is as wild as any adult 

 bird, and cuts itself all to pieces in its incessant efforts to force its way through the 

 wires of its prison ; from the nature of its food its cage needs constant cleaning, 

 otherwise it .smells abominably ; its note of rage, char, char, is frequently uttered, but 

 nothing else. As it will not now learn its natural song, a few good performers 

 such as the Nightingale, Blackcap, Skylark, Grey Singing-finch, or the Pekin Night- 

 ingale, should be kept in cages near by; in order that it may study their notes. 



