LANIUS EXCUBITOR. 239 



Like the fly-catchers or kingfisher, it selects a twig to watch 

 for prey, and from its habit of remaining long perched for that 

 purpose has received its name of exubitor, or the sentinel. It 

 has been shot at Elgin, and a mile north from Dundee, and 

 seen now and then in nearly all parts of the country ; but it is 

 very solitary, and seldom more than one seen at a time. It is 

 more a winter than a summer migrant. A writer in the press 

 says : — 



" Three grey shrikes were shot in the vicinity of Biggar in November — 

 two males and one female ; another was shot at Redcastle, Ross-shire, 

 about the same time, and the other day I saw one in this locality (Stobo). 

 It is therefore probable that a regular migration to our country, instead of 

 a few stragglers, has this winter taken place ; in like manner as the cross- 

 bills were seen throughout the country in considerable numbers in 18734. 

 The shrike was brought within my view in the following way : — A large 

 flock of chaffinches had been feeding on the ground, suddenly rose, and by 

 the chorus of alarm-notes which they uttered, gave intimation, as I 

 thought, that a hawk was in the neighbourhood. But on looking around, 

 no hawk was seen. At length my attention was drawn to a bird perched 

 on the top of a tall plane tree, about a hundred yards off. At that 

 distance it might have passed for a missel thrush, except that its body was 

 much more slender. In a minute or two it took to flight, and had not gone 

 far when it came into close quarters with a chaffinch flying in an opposite 

 direction, which it at once darted after and pursued eagerly, but without 

 avail. Resuming its course, it came past within eighty yards of me, and 

 I was enabled fully to identify it as the grey shrike. It then made a long 

 swoop of about a hundred yards away towards a group of dark silver firs, 

 and was lost to view. Its flight is very rapid, produced by quick strokes 

 of the wings, not unlike the movement of the starling, only the wings are 

 not raised so much, so that, at a side view, the shape of the bird is well 

 seen in its flight. Comparing the three specimens which were shot at 

 Biggar, the female — contrary to the usual rule in birds of prey — showed 

 slightly less than the males. A mouse which the former had killed was 

 found transfixed in a singular manner on a thorn, and the stomachs of the 

 other two contained the fur and bones of mice." 



Although found at all times of the year in Britain, its time 

 of migration is very irregular ; nor is it known to breed with 

 us. It has no regular song, but can imitate the notes of such 

 birds as the stonechat, for which it has been called on the 

 Continent the " mocking thrush." They are very courageous 

 in defence of their nest, and will drive off crows, hawks, and 

 birds ten times their own size ; and in this respect remind me 

 of the daring of the missel thrush. 



