The Woodchat Shrike 13 



One advantage in this bird is — that however wild it may be, and however 

 intolerable the odour of its cage may be, the bird always appears to enjoy robust 

 health. Even if one is ill, and perchance no fresh food is supplied to this bird 

 for twenty-four hours, he makes no trouble of that, but only attacks his food more 

 vigorously when the opportunity comes. Moreover, having by foolish behaviour 

 so reduced his wings that he cannot reach his perch, he contentedly passes the 

 night on a box in a corner. These are redeeming points in his character. 



Family— LANIID. 'E. 



The Woodchat Shrike. 



Lanius pomcranus, SpaRRM. 



HOWARD SAUNDERS observes that "On the Continent the Woodchat 

 breeds as far to the north-east as the line of the Baltic and the valley of 

 the Vistula, bej^ond which it is of accidental occurrence ; while southward 

 it is generally distributed throughout Europe, and in the countries bordering on 

 the Mediterranean is very abundant. Even there, however, it is only a visitor ; 

 arriving about the end of March, or early in April, and leaving again between 

 August and October. Eastward it breeds in South Russia, Turke}-, Asia Minor, 

 Palestine, and Persia ; while in winter it occurs in Arabia, and down the East 

 African Coast to about 5° N. lat., also on the west side to the Gambia and the 

 Gold Coast. Throughout Northern Africa it is abundant in summer, arriving from 

 the southern side of the Sahara in March." 



To Great Britain this species is an irregular straggler, and principally on 

 migration ; nevertheless about thirty-seven examples have been obtained in various 

 parts of England, chiefly in the southern and eastern counties, one male was seen 

 in May 1903 at Speeton, in Yorkshire, and, on two occasions, it has been recorded 

 as breeding at Freshwater, in the Isle of Wight. 



