LANIID^. 137 



nowhere more so than in the neighbourhood of Cape 

 Town, where a pair may be seen in almost every garden. 

 It is a bold, fearless, and quarrelsome bird, never allowing 

 any bird of prey to remain long within its particular 

 district. This species has the habit of impaling its prey, 

 immediately after capture, on a thorn or a naturally 

 pointed stick or branch a custom which is said to have 

 earned for it, from the old colonists, the name of Fiskal, 

 derived from the title of the Dutch colonial magistrate 

 of former times. 



The food of this Shrike consists chiefly of various 

 insects; but it will also attack young birds, rats, and 

 mice. It perches on some branch of a tree commanding 

 a good view, whence it precipitates itself upon its prey 

 when perceived, whether on the ground or on the wing. 

 It flies low, alternately rising and dipping, but invariably 

 in a straight line, and does not move far at a time, , 

 generally only to the first convenient tree. During the - 

 breeding-season battles take place between the males ; 

 and it is at this season also that the bird is heard to sing 

 in a strain at once varied and continuous, accompanying 

 his warblings with many different gesticulations. 



This species builds in the forks of trees, and constructs 

 its nest of bark, moss, and flexible roots, lined inside 

 with feathers, wool, &c. The eggs, which both parents 

 assist in incubating, are four or five in number, broad at 

 one end and very short, of a dusky green, with brown 

 spots clustered thickly round the larger end. 



The iris in this Shrike is black, as also is the bill ; the 

 tarsus is greyish black. There is a slight difference in 



