SOME BIRD NOTES 



2 39 



(Lanius collurio), a bird which appears to be greatly on the 

 decrease, at least in this neighbourhood. Up to the 7o's 

 it was not rare around Caister, and it nested in an old 

 hawthorn hedge (since demolished) on the North Denes as 

 late as 1878, in which year I watched an adult bird busy at 

 his larder; he was feasting on a short-tailed field-mouse, and 

 had for dessert a humble-bee or two and some beetles. He 

 was very saucy, probably noticing I carried no gun, and he 

 flew a short distance ahead of me, as I endeavoured to find 

 out what other victims he had been spitting. 



WHO SAID BEETLES?" RED-BACKED SHRIKE 



One writer appeared to doubt the shrike's inclination to 

 attack animals ; another replying from Haddiscoe wrote as 

 follows : 



" Your correspondent, 'Observer,' asks if the shrike preys on 

 small animals as well as insects. The red-backed shrike will 

 kill small birds, and even young pheasants. It is here called 

 the ' nine-killer/ being supposed to kill * nine head of game/ 

 which it impales on thorns before it commences to eat them. 

 Several pairs visit the district in which I reside ; they are 

 very affectionate to each other, both old and young, and 

 when grown the young ones will live and hunt with the old 

 birds. . . . Two years ago I was in close proximity to a 

 gamekeeper's house, not trespassing, but was on the turnpike 

 road, when the screaming of a pair of shrikes attracted my 



