PRELIMINARY CLASSIFIED NOTES 241 



peninmilaa. It is everywhere somewhat local, isolated pairs nesting as a rule at 

 some distance from one another. In the southern part of its range it is sedentary, 

 wandering to some extent after the breeding season, but in the north of Europe 

 it is only a summer visitor, migrating southwards as far as the British Isles, South 

 France, Italy, the Balkan peninsula, and the Caucasus, [r. O. R. J.) 



3. Migration. An irregular migrations! and winter visitor from Northern 

 Europe. Its occurrences are naturally more frequent on the eastern seaboard of 

 Great Britain, especially in Yorkshire and southwards, but there are records for 

 most parts of our area, including Shetland and county Sligo (Ireland). Westwards 

 and in Ireland the occurrences become very irregular, and are practically con- 

 fined to the late autumn and winter months. These are also the times of the 

 majority of the occurrences on the east coast of Great Britain, where the Bret 

 immigrants usually arrive from across the North Sea late in October, a few being 

 recorded almost every season. There are also occasional records for the spring 

 passage, and even for the summer months, although the species has not been 

 known to breed within our area. The great grey-shrike is usually a solitary 

 traveller, and for subsistence by the way it levies toll on the smaller migrants. 

 (Cf. Saunders, IU. Man. B. B., 2nd ed., 1899, p. 147; Ussher and Warren, 

 H. of Ireland, 1900, p. 43 ; Witherby and Ticehurst, British Birds, i. p. 147 ; 

 Nelson, B. of York*, 1907, p. 138 ; Ticehurst, B. of Kent, 1909, p. 115 ; etc.) 

 [A. L. T.] 



4. Nest and Eggs. Although statements have been made to the contrary, 

 there is no proof that this species has ever nested in the British Isles. For purposes 

 of identification the following brief details are given. The nest is generally placed 

 much higher than that of the redbacked-shrike, often on the side branches of an oak 

 or other forest tree and usually commanding a wide view. It is also found in orchards 

 in middle Europe, but in the high north in small birches. The materials used are 

 twigs, dead grasses, moss, etc., lined with roots, hair and wool and a thick layer of 

 feathers. It is a bulky edifice and warmly lined ; it is built by the hen, the cock 

 bringing materials (Sachse). Eggs usually 5 to 7, rarely 8 or even 9 in number, 

 greyish buff to greenish grey in ground colour, blotched and spotted with varying 

 shades of olive-brown and purplish grey. An abnormal type with green ground is 

 also said to occur. Average size of 117 eggs, 1*03 x -75 in. [28*28 x 19*28 mm.]. 

 The breeding season in middle Europe begins during the latter part of April, but in 

 the high north not till late in May or early in June. Incubation, apparently per- 

 formed by the hen alone, lasts about 15 days. Single brooded as a rule, but there 



