BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 355 



hair, sometimes with willow catkins and fine, fibrous 

 roots. As a rule it is a very large nest for the 

 size of the bird ; but I have noticed that specimens 

 differ in this respect as well as in the character of 

 the materials employed in their construction. 



Eggs. Four to six, generally four or five ; very 

 variable in ground - colour and markings ; pale 

 huffish-white, spotted, freckled, and blotched with 

 pale reddish-brown, and underlying markings of 

 grey or salmon-colour, marked with light red and 

 lilac-grey. Some varieties are white, greyish-white, 

 yellowish-white, or greenish in ground-colour. As 

 a rule, the markings form a ring round the larger 

 end. Size about .9 by .66 in. (See Plate III.) 



Time. May and June. I once found one at 

 the beginning of July. 



Remarks. Migratory, arriving in May and de- 

 parting in August or September. Note : call, a 

 harsh croak ; song a mixture of the notes of the 

 Goldfinch, Blackcap, Nightingale, and other birds 

 frequenting its vicinity according to Bechstein. 

 Local and other names : Jack Baker, Murdering 

 Pie, Whiskey John, Butcher Bird, Flusher, Cheeter. 

 A fairly close sitter. 



RED-BACKED SHRIKE ON NEST 



