34 THE BIRDS OF DEVONSHIRE. 



home from shooting in the dusk of the evening, 

 when a bird flew out of one of the lime trees in the park, 

 where it had evidently intended to pass the night ; as 

 soon as the bird flew out I shot it, and was surprised, 

 on picking it up, to find that I had secured a Great 

 Grey Shrike, an adult male specimen. Dr. Moore 

 records specimens shot at Leigham, and Millatou ; Dr. 

 D' Urban cites one obtained at Topsham, in 1839 ; 

 another at Exeter, in 1845; another at Torquay, in 

 July, 1865 ; another near Honiton, January, 1871 ; 

 another recorded by Mr. Gatcombe, shot between 

 Lydfordand Bridestowe, November, 1876; and a sixth 

 shot at Morchard Bishop, in March, 1882. To these we 

 may add, one shot at Tawton Marshes, October, 1 855; 

 another seen by the Rev. M. A. Mathew, January, 

 1858 ; another observed by Baron A. von Hiigel, on 

 October, 14th, 1869, at Torquay ; one seen near 

 Barnstaple, March, 1870 ; another observed at 

 Watcombe Park, by Mr. G. B. Corbin, '' perching on 

 a Rhododendron," April, 1876; and asixth shot by Mr, 

 Mackie at Kingsbridge, December, 1883 ; this last 

 being the only one that Mr.H. Nicholls has met with in 

 his long experience of that district. Dr. Elliot dis- 

 covered that this Shrike had impaled a Chaffinch in its 

 larder ; and, on dissecting the body, found a 

 number of seeds in its stomach. Whether any of 

 the fifteen specimens, here recorded, should be 

 referred to Lanius major, rather than to Lam'us 

 excuhitoi\ I am unable to say. The majority of 

 occurrences appear to refer to the South of Devon. 



