THE RED-BACKED SHRIKE. 91 



but in the absence of these, it feeds upon grasshoppers, 

 dragon-flies, lizards, small birds, and mice. The principal 

 haunts of the Shrike are tall hedgerows, thorn-bushes, and 

 coppices; it is also partial to quarries, and deserted chalk-pits, 

 and may frequently be seen perched on some rail, post, gate, 

 or prominent bough of a tree, and as often as anywhere on 

 the telegraph wires of a railway. From these points of 

 vantage it keeps a good look-out for anything likely to 

 afford a meal, and may be noticed occasionally darting off 

 upon some unlucky victim, which it either devours or im- 

 pales, and again resumes its watchful position. It is a 

 mistake to suppose that the prey is always impaled before 

 being eaten. 



The Red-backed Shrike builds rather a large nest, which 

 may very easily be discovered, as it is commonly placed in 

 some bush or hedge without any attempt at concealment. 

 The nest is made of dried grass, twigs, or roots, moss and 

 wool, and lined with some finer roots and stalks. Five or 

 six eggs are laid, of a pale reddish-white spotted with 

 different shades of brownish-red. In most cases there is a 

 well-defined band of spots around the larger end. The eggs 

 of this bird vary considerably in appearance, some being 

 quite greyish in tint and others pinkish and greenish-white. 

 The length of the male bird is about seven -and-a-half 

 inches ; the bill, which is hooked at the end and notched, 

 is of a bright black colour, and a black stripe runs from 

 the end to the nape of the neck. The forehead is black ; 

 head, bluish-grey ; chiu, whitish ; throat, white ; breast, a 

 pale yellowish-pink ; back, bluish-grey on the lower part 

 and reddish-brown on the upper. The tail is long and 

 extends beyond the wings ; thei*e are two black feathers in 

 the centre, all the rest are white at the base and tipped with 



