BIRDS OF THE WOODS 43 



tail-coverts. Nestling : covered with fawn-coloured 

 down, striped all down centre of back with chestnut 

 and bordered with cream-colour ; black line through eye. 



Language. — Two notes — one a sharp and the other a 

 deep kind of whistle, something like a frog's croak. 



Habits. — Nocturnal, spending the da}^ under some 

 umbrageous bush, coming forth at night with curious 

 zigzagging flight, and probing soft, damp places with its 

 long, sensitive bill for food. Note the backward position 

 of eyes, a provision of nature enabling the bird to probe 

 in the mud without choking the eyes with it. If danger 

 threatens, the parents will remove their young to a 

 place of safety. 



Food. — Worms especially ; also beetles, insects, small 

 Crustacea, &c. 



Nest. — March or April. One brood. 



Site. — In a slight hollow, sheltered by long grass, 

 bracken, and the like, in sequestered woods. 



Materials. — If any, a few leaves, grasses, or fern-fronds. 



Eggs. — Four. Pale drab-yellow or stone-colour, 

 spotted and blotched rather sparingly with light yellowish 

 brown, umber-brown, and ash-grey. Not ver}^ pyriform 

 in shape. 



GREAT GREY SHRIKE {Lanius excuhitor). 



A fairly frequent visitor in autumn and winter ; 

 it has not been proved to breed here. 



Plumage. — Eye-stripe white ; lores and ear-coverts 

 black ; upper parts pearl-grey, whiter on the scapulars. 

 Wmgs black ; primaries and secondaries tipped with 

 white, making two white bars. Tail black, tipped with 

 white ; outer tail-feathers white ; under parts white. 



