42 THE BIEDS OF OXFORDSHIRE. 



suggest an erroneous assumption of the bird breeding with 

 us, but it has never been ascertained to do so in this country. 

 The only occasion upon which I have had an opportunity 

 of observing the Grey Shrike in a wild state occurred, as 

 mentioned above, on a cold wet day on the 7th April, 1885; 

 its habits and appearance on that occasion seemed similar 

 to those of its more common congener to be next treated of. 

 I extract the following from my note-book. ' From one of a 

 line of pollard willows out darted a Grey Shrike, dipping in 

 its flig'ht, and rising into a tall forest tree a little further on. 

 It was presently joined by a second bu-d, when both swooped 

 down and flew together into some market-gardens on the other 

 side of the canal, where they settled in a tall pear tree, one 

 taking up its position on one of the outside branches. During 

 the next ten minutes one or other of them several times darted 

 out, and after taking- a short flight among the orchard trees, 

 returned- to its post. After some time they flew out together, 

 and, skimming low over the meadow, resorted again to the 

 willows,^ The broad ditches in the vicinity probably yielded 

 a plentiful supply of food in the shape of water-shrews (the 

 remains of which I have known to be taken from Shrikes' 

 stomachs in one or two instances) and frogs. The flight of 

 the Grey Shrike is undulating, being performed usually 

 in jerks, but is swift and almost glancing at times, somewhat 

 similar to that of the E-ed-backed Shrike, but more powerful. 

 Wherever they went they were slightly mobbed by small birds, 

 especially Chaffinches.'' 



THE EED-BACKED SHRIKE. 



Lan'ius coUurio. 



The Bed-backed Shrike is an annual summer visitor, but 

 cannot be considered as other than rather a rare bird except in 

 the neighbourhood of Oxford and perhaps in the extreme south 

 of the county ; and even at Oxford the Rev. H. A. Mac- 

 pherson remarked that it was far less common than nearer 



