Mr. J. Blackwall’s Ornithological Notes. 19 
py its daring attempts to carry off their call-birds. Early in 
the spring, a young man, who was intent upon obtaining for 
sale a supply of that minute but docile linnet the lesser redpole, 
Linota linaria, which is a summer visitor in Lancashire, where 
it breeds, proceeded to Gorton, near Manchester, and having 
arranged the cage containing his call-bird, and placed his twigs 
well-smeared with birdlime in the manner best adapted to attain 
his object, he patiently awaited the result. After having suc- 
cessfully followed his insidious occupation for a considerable time, 
a gray shrike flew to the cage, most likely for the purpose of 
devouring the decoy-bird, and perching upon the twig attached 
to its summit became entangled in the viscid material which 
covered it. The agitated bird made vigorous efforts to disen- 
gage itself from the unpleasant situation in which it was placed, 
but without avail; its struggles only tended to involve it more 
completely in the tenacious toils with which it was encumbered. 
At length it was secured and placed in a dark cage with the red- 
poles which had been previously captured ; but the surprise and 
mortification of the birdcatcher may be imagined, when, on his 
arrival at home, he found that the shrike had killed all its com- 
panions in captivity. A friend of mine, who was actively en- 
gaged in collecting specimens of rare British birds, happened to 
hear of the circumstance, and succeeded in purchasing the shnike, 
which, when preserved and mounted, occupied a place in his 
cabinet. 
Though irregular in its visits to this country, and though 
seldom seen except in the colder months, yet the gray shrike 
has been observed, in more than one instance, to prolong its 
stay among the mountains of North Wales till late m May, and 
it is not improbable that it may sometimes breed in the princi- 
pality. Like the cuckoo and birds of prey in general, this species 
and the red-backed shrike, Lanius collurio, are occasionally pur- 
sued and persecuted by small birds, which, from the excited 
feelings they manifest, evidently have some cause for regarding 
them as enemies. 
Possessing greater compass of voice than is commonly sup- 
posed, the red-backed shrike is capable of giving utterance to a 
few low soft notes which constitute a short song; but let it not 
be thought that they represent the calls or lays of other birds, 
artfully acquired for the purpose of luring them to destruction, 
as some persons have insinuated, for they are delivered by the 
shrike in a subdued tone and without the least attempt at con- 
cealment, the station usually occupied by it on such occasions 
being the loftiest twig of a tall hedge or bush; and I have never 
succeeded, by the most careful and prolonged observation, in wit- 
k 
