Mr. J. BlackwalFs Ornithological Notes. 19 



oy 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 shrike, 

 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 in 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 collur'io, 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- 



2* 



