248 REDBACKED-SHRIKE 



gentle conversation with him, the gist of which was quite obvious to 

 the onlooker, although it is impossible to describe the variety of 

 sounds produced. After having patiently watched, while each of her 

 youngsters in turn was left gasping by her mate's well-meant but mis- 

 directed efforts, she gently edged round to where he stood looking 

 helpless and foolish, holding the rejected food in his own bill. She 

 quietly took the mangled head from him, tore it into four pieces, and 

 gave one to each of her brood in turn. Then the old birds looked at 

 one another, interchanged a few remarks on the subject of infantile 

 diet and the proper way of administering it, and finally flew amicably 

 away together. 



The newly hatched young are more lacking in beauty than is the 

 case even with most nestlings. They are covered with coarse yellow 

 skin, which is rough and corrugated, for the outlines of the feather- 

 tracts are quite visible on the first day, and there is an entire absence 

 of nestling down. But growth is rapid, and in eight days the latent 

 beauty of the race begins to show itself in a delicately pencilled 

 plumage, which closely resembles that of the female. 



When fledged, no birds make such a continuous uproar in the 

 garden as does a family of young shrikes ; one cannot possibly sleep 

 in their vicinity after dawn. With the first streak of daylight, the loud 

 and continuous "chack" will be heard from four or five different 

 directions, for they do not huddle together in one place like many 

 other young birds, but spread themselves over a considerable area, 

 and continually shriek for food. The parents have a busy time for 

 some hours, for young shrikes seem particularly voracious, and perhaps 

 this fact may account for the butcher-bird's larder. It is not 

 improbable that while the young are digesting a meal, the old birds 

 still continue foraging, and impale their quarry during these intervals 

 of comparative leisure, so as to have a supply close at hand when 

 necessary. 



It is well worth while losing a few hours of sleep in order to watch 

 these bold marauders supplying the needs of their well-grown and 



