376 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 
fearless, and quarrelsome bird, never allowing any bird of prey to 
remain long within its particular district. This species has the habit 
of impaling its prey, immediately after capture, on a thorn or a 
naturally pointed stick or branch—a custom which is said to have 
earned for it, from the colonists, the name of Fiskal, derived from the 
title of the Dutch colonial magistrate of former times. The food of 
this Shrike consists chiefly of various insects ; but it will also attack 
young birds, rats, and mice. It perches on some branch of a tree 
commanding a good view, whence it precipitates itself upon its prey 
when perceived, whether on the ground or on the wing. It flies 
low, alternately rising and dipping, but invariably in a straight 
line, and does not move far at a time, generally only to the first 
convenient tree. During the breeding season battles take place 
between the males; and it is at this season also that the bird is 
heard to sing in a strain at once varied and continuous, accompany- 
ing™ his warblings with many different gesticulations. This species 
builds in the forks of trees, and constructs its nest of bark, moss, 
and flexible roots, lined inside with feathers, wool, &c. The eggs, 
which both parents assist in incubating, are four or five in number, 
broad at one end and very short, of a dusky green, with brown 
spots clustered thickly round the larger end.” 
Mr. T. Ayres gives a similar account of the habits of this bird in 
Natal, and says that it impales mice, small rats, lizards, chameleons, 
and other large insects on the thorns of the bush on which it 
perches. 
Adult male—General colour above sooty black, the lores, 
feathers round the eye, ear-coverts, and sides of neck uniform 
with the head; scapulars white, with dull greyish bases; wings 
entirely blackish, the quills rather browner, the inner primaries 
white at the base of both webs, forming an alar speculum ; rump 
and upper tail-coverts dark-grey ; tail-feathers black, the four outer 
ones on each side white at the tip, increasing in extent on both 
webs towards the outermost, which is entirely white with the 
exception of the inner web, which is blackish at the base; cheeks 
and throat white; breast and sides of body light ashy grey, the 
centre of the abdomen and under tail-coverts pure white: thighs 
white with dusky bases to the feathers; under wing-coverts white 
with blackish bases, the axillaries blackish with broad white edges ; 
under surface of the quills ashy brown with pale brown edges to 
