1 8 THE BIRDS OF RAINHAM. 



RED-BACKED SHRIKE. 

 Lanius collurio. Linn. 



Comes to us the latter end of April or the begin- 

 ning of May, is not uncommon and breeds if not dis- 

 turbed, as a rule in thick thorn bushes on the borders 

 of pastures where beetles and other insects abound, 

 but this is not always constant ; I once found their 

 nest in a roadside hedge bordering a ploughed field ; 

 pastures were close at hand. 



WOODCHAT SHRIKE. 

 Lanius rutilus, Latham. 



One was shot May 7, 1868, not exactly in my 

 district, in an orchard ; in its crop, as I was 

 informed, was a bee, some caterpillars, and two pieces 

 of grit ; it is a light coloured specimen, probably 

 immature. 



SPOTTED FLYCATCHER. 

 Muscicapa grisola. Linn. 



The Flycatcher comes to our homesteads and 

 orchards when the apple trees are in blossom, stays 

 with us throughout the summer doing all the service 

 it can, leaves sometime in September ; I, for one, 

 wishing it a safe passage all the way to Africa and 

 back again. 



