152 LANIAD.E. 



utterer ; and while listening, to my surprise, the original notes 

 were discarded, and others adopted of a softer and more 

 melodious character, never, however, prolonged to anything 

 like a continuous song. Its grave ash-coloured garb, with its 

 peculiar black patch on the cheek, soon convinced me that my 

 unknown friend was the Butcher Bird." This bird is used 

 by flilconers abroad during autumn and winter when trapping 

 Falcons. The Shrike is fastened to the ground, and, by 

 screaming loudly, gives notice to the Falconer, who is con- 

 cealed, of the approach of a Hawk. It was on this account, 

 therefore, called excubitor, — the sentinel. It frequents 

 groves and forests, and builds on trees at some distance from 

 the ground, making a nest of bents, roots, and moss, lined 

 with down and wool. The eggs are from four to six in num- 

 ber, of a bluish or greyish white colour, spotted over the large 

 end with two shades of light brown and ash. The length of 

 the egg one inch one line, by nine lines and a half in breadth. 

 The Grey Shrike has been obtained in several southern and 

 western counties, — in Surrey, Sussex, Wiltshire, Dorsetshire, 

 Devonshire, Worcestershire, and Cheshire ; and I am in- 

 formed by Mr. Thompson of Belfast, that it has occurred in 

 one or two instances in the North of Ireland. A specimen 

 shot near Belfast is in the collection of Dr. J. D. Marshall. 

 North of London, it has been killed in Suffolk, Cambridge- 

 shire, Norfolk, Yorkshire, Cumberland, Northumberland, 

 and Durham. No Shrikes appear to have been seen either 

 in the islands of Orkney or Shetland ; but the Grey Shrike 

 is included among the birds of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, 

 Lapland, Russia, and Germany. In Holland it is rare ; but 

 it is rather a common bird in France, and remains there 

 throughout the year, frequenting w^oods in summer, and open 

 plains in winter. It is an inhabitant also of Spain, Pro- 

 vence, and Italy. In the southern part of the latter country, 

 according to the Prince of Musignano, it is a winter resident. 



