By the Rev. A. C. Smith. 287 



bear "Laniadae" suflBciently describes tbe habits of the family, 

 lanius signifying "a butcher," from lanio, " to cut or tear in pieces." 

 But notwithstanding their fierce cruel disposition towards all within 

 compass of their strength in the furred, feathered, and insect world, 

 towards their own young they show a remarkable afiection, remain- 

 ing with them the whole summer, until they all take their depar- 

 ture together, and becoming very clamorous and excited, if any 

 real or fancied danger threatens them : their voices are also capable 

 of great variation, and they are said to sing melodiously, qualities 

 we should scarcely expect in so fierce a race : moreover they have 

 a remarkable power of imitating the notes of smaller birds, by 

 which means it is sometimes conjectured they allure them within 

 reach to their destruction. 



" Great grey Shrike " (Lanius Excubitor). Not very frequently is 

 this, the largest of the British shrikes, seen in England, though I 

 believe it has been noticed in this county qiiite as often as in any 

 other. Yarrell mentions Wiltshire as one of the Western counties 

 where it has been obtained; Stanley too speaks of this as one of its 

 favourite districts ; but in addition to these, I have notice of one 

 killed near Devizes, about 12 years ago, and another at about the 

 same time shot by the keeper at Erlestoke ; one in Mr. Marsh's 

 collection taken on the road between Cirencester and Malmsbury 

 in 1837, another in Mr. E. Sloper's collection killed at Seend, Feb. 

 28th, 18-40. Selby, who of all our authors on birds, seems to have 

 most frequently studied this species alive in its wild state, says that 

 it always chooses the winter months for its occasional visits to this 

 country, and certainly within the last few years all those whose 

 captures have been recorded, have (with one exception to prove the 

 rule) been seen between November and March : its regular habitat 

 seems to be the S.E. portions of Europe, Russia, Turkey, &c. 

 Its plumage is ash coloured above, white beneath, and a large and 

 remarkable patch of black on the cheeks makes it unmistakeablc to 

 those who have seen it : it preys on mice and small birds, which it 

 treats in the same manner as its well-known congener does its in- 

 sect victims, fixing them on sharp thorns, and then pulling them to 

 pieces: nay, so strongly is this habit implanted in it by nature, 



