THE GREAT GREY-SHRIKE 



again in early spring. But in many jmrts of middle Europe it may 

 be described as a resident, although leading a vagrant existence after 

 the brooding season it over until March, when it returns to its nesting 

 place. It cannot be called plentiful anywhere, and re generally found 

 in isolated pairs, each having its own district, often a considerable 

 distance apart Treeless plains, m^nA^a, and deep forest' are all 

 unsuited to its habits, but it affects the outskirts of woods, orchards, 

 heaths with broken clumps of trees, parks, and bush-grown commons, 

 and in such places several pairs may be found within a radius of a 

 mile or two, while in the mountainous districts of middle Europe it 

 may be met with up to over 5500 feet Still there are many districts 

 of France and Germany which appear well suited to it. where it is 

 nevertheless unknown as a breeding species. In the more favoured 

 spots, such as the heaths of North Brabant, the Rhine valley, near 

 Trier, and parts of Lothringen and the Eifel, it is no unusual sight to 

 detect the male in the distance, perched high up on some twig which 

 gives a good view of the country round. In North Brabant, where 

 the trees are not allowed to grow to any height, an occasional cock 

 bird shows up against the sky-line, too far off for the colours to be 

 distinguished, but easily recognisable as he occasionally takes a short 

 flight, settling again with a curious balancing movement of the tail, 

 which at once suggests the characteristic habit of the blackbird. 

 But he well deserves his name of sentinel, for as we attempt to make 

 a closer acquaintance, he is at once on the alert and drops from his 

 perch, to reappear on another small pine top some distance away. 

 This dropping from the perch, flying low and rising again to a second 

 station, is very characteristic of the shorter flights of this species. On 

 longer flights it can cover considerable distances at a good speed, but 

 never gives the impression of being a strong flyer, continually rising 

 and falling in a way that partly recalls the action of the green wood- 

 pecker. When we are lucky enough to see him at close quarters 

 against the background of dark pine leaves, his plumage suggests the 

 brightly contrasted livery of the magpie, although in winter, when 



