184 BRITISH BIRDS. 



THE RED-BACKED SHRIKE'S "LARDER." 



The interesting account of the Red-backed Shrike's " larder " 

 in the August number of British Birds (p. 79) suggests that 

 the " larder " deserves its name. After inspecting several 

 during the last year or two I have been inclined to think that 

 storage is not at any rate the primary object. The " Butcher 

 Bird " wishes to tear her victims up into small pieces suitable 

 for her young in the neighbouring nest. Since it is not her 

 habit to hold them in her claws, she spikes them. In 1909 

 I watched a Red-backed Shrike tearing up a field-mouse, 

 the only thing in the " larder," and making several journeys 

 to carry the flesh to her nestlings. She showed remarkable 

 skill in separating the meat from the skin ; the latter was 

 left hanging on the thorn. The " larders " which 1 have 

 seen have been very meagrely supplied compared with the 

 one described by Mr. Tracy. One which I inspected three 

 or four times never contained more than one " joint," but 

 each day a different one. F. W. He able y. 



PIED FLYCATCHERS IN SUSSEX. 



In reference to Dr. N. F. Ticehurst's note [supra, p. 151), 

 I have seen the Pied Flycatcher on the following occasions 

 at Newhaven, Sussex : — April 24th, 1891 ; August 13th, 

 1895 ; and August 9th, 1896, both the latter being immature 

 birds. Norman H. Joy. 



BEHAVIOUR OF THE GREENFINCH AT THE NEST. 



In view of Mr. H. W. Ford-Lindsay's record of a Greenfinch 

 {Ligurinus diloris) swallowing the fceces of her young [swpra, 

 p. 80), it may be of interest to note that three pairs of Green- 

 finches, which I had under observation this year, neither 

 swallowed nor removed the fceces. 



In two cases the nests Mere built in a thorn-hedge, and were 

 placed four to five feet from the ground. The third was in 

 a pear tree, and ^^'as not so easy to watch as the others, for the 

 leaves were thick and the nest sixteen feet up. The first 

 nest was in a thin part of the hedge, and by pushing aside the 

 hawthorn-twigs I was able to get an uninterrupted view of 

 the behaviour of the birds when feeding their young. 



About ten feet from this nest a pair of Chaffinches (Fringilla 

 ccelebs) had built in the same hedge, and they were feeding 

 six young birds, whilst the Greenfinches were providing for 

 five. 



I never saw the Greenfinches make any attempt to remove 

 the fceces of the nestlings, and the photograph shows the 



