216 LAN1ID/K. 



a fine specimen had lately been sent to him, though he does 

 not mention where it had been procured. From the fact 

 that Kay applied to his description of this species the 

 English name by which it is now generally known, it would 

 seem as if he meant it to be regarded as British. 



In the British Museum there is a specimen of the Wood- 

 chat, a young male, which formerly belonged to Leach's 

 collection, and is labelled as having been killed in Kent. 

 Since that time the occurrence in England of more than 

 twenty examples has been noticed chiefly in the southern 

 and eastern counties. Several have been taken in the Scilly 

 Isles, and one near Plymouth. Mr. More says (Zool. p. 6851) 

 that he was informed it had bred twice at Freshwater in the 

 Isle of Wight, and, although the parents were carefully 

 respected, one of the nests, with the eggs, as well as a 

 young bird shot in September, 1856, are in the collection 

 of Mr. Bond, who has kindly confirmed the statement. 

 The same gentleman informed Mr. Gould that Mr. Braiken- 

 ridge has a nest and eggs also received through the same 

 source. The bird has been obtained near Brighton and a 

 second time in Kent, while some four or five examples are 

 said to have been procured in Suffolk, and about as many 

 in Norfolk, though the assertion of Hunt that it had bred 

 in the county last named very likely originated in error. 

 Further inland it is stated to have been met with in Surrey, 

 Hertfordshire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Worcestershire, 

 and Yorkshire. Mr. R. Gray remarks that it is included in 

 Don's list of the birds of Forfarshire, but it seems not to have 

 been noticed in Scotland by any other observer, and never in 

 Ireland. Most of the examples taken in England have 

 occurred during the seasons of migration, and the majority 

 of them seem to have been in immature plumage. 



In size, in most of its habits, and in its mode of feeding, 

 the Woodchat resembles the common Red-backed Shrike, 

 and, like that species, is said to imitate the voice of several 

 different birds. Hoy has well remarked (Mag. Nat. Hist, 

 iv. p. 343) that it differs, however, from Lanius collurio "in 

 the choice of situation for its nest, placing it invariably on 



