VOL. X.] NOTES ON RED-BACKED SHRIKE. 179 



slightly spread. The throat is puffed out at the same 

 time. 



The young are born blind and have no down. The 

 inside of the mouth, tongue, and flanges are all yellow ; 



RED-BACKED SHRIKE : THE HEX AT THE NEST. WAITING TO TAKE 



FROM THE YOUNG PELLETS OR DUNG. A VERY CHARAGTERISTIO 



ATTITUDE. 



{Photographed by J. H. Owen.) 



no spots on the tongue ; the roof of the mouth and the 

 palate are spurred, but not the base of the tongue. 

 Their eyes begin to open on the fifth day. At five days 

 old no quills are through, but the wings have tiny hairs 

 instead of flight-feathers. At seven days the quills of 

 the wings and tail are through, and the fledging-period is 

 complete in fourteen to fifteen days, but the young will 



