RED-BACKED SHRIKE. 185 
bird, but its vocal powers, though described as pleasing, are 
not of first-rate order. The note resembles that of the Sparrow, 
which is not pre-eminent for beauty; but it occasionally warbles 
a little, and is said to imitate the voices of other birds. The 
clamorous habit spoken of under the Grey Shrike, is not 
‘peculiar to it, but attaches also to the one before us: it seems 
to run in the family. They are particularly attentive to their 
young, feeding them after they have left the nest. 
The nest is placed, without much attempt at concealment, 
in a hedge or bush. It is large for the size of the bird, 
being from six to seven inches across, somewhat deep like a 
cup, and is composed of the stalks of plants, grass, wool, and 
moss; and is lined with small roots, and, occasionally, it is 
said, with hair. The edge of the top rather projects over 
the side. 
G. Grantham, Esq. has favoured me with the ege of this 
bird, which I have often in former years taken myself, more 
or less spotted with red. In general they are pale reddish 
white, spotted with two shades of darker red and reddish 
brown, and the base is encircled by a belt, formed of an 
irregular conglomeration of the same. Occasionally they are 
pale bluish white, or white, and sometimes greenish white, 
spotted with brown and grey, or rufous. They are five or 
six in number. The band already alluded to has been occa- 
sionally found at the narrow end. 
The old and young birds keep up the family connection 
until the time for migration has arrived. The latter do not 
moult until after they have left this country, but return in 
the garb of their perfect birdhood. 
Male; weight, eight drachms; length, about seven inches or 
seven and a half; bill, bright black, strong, thick, much hooked, 
curved, and notched near the point—a black band runs from 
over the bill, above and below the eye to the nape. Iris, 
reddish brown; forehead, black; head, bluish grey, sometimes 
tinged with yellowish; neck, white on the sides; nape, bluish 
grey, sometimes tinged with yellowish; chin, nearly white; 
throat, white; breast, pale yellowish pink; back, rufous on the 
upper part, but lower down bluish grey. The wings expand 
to about twelve inches and a quarter; greater and lesser wing 
coverts, rufous; primaries, dusky black, edged with rufous on 
the outer web; the first feather is not half as long as the 
second, the second and fourth nearly equal, the third the 
longest in the wing. Secondaries, the same, with the margins 
