46 



CHAPTER III. 



PERCHING BIRDS. 



IN our thickly-wooded and well -cultivated district the 

 birds of this order are pretty numerous, and at least 

 two-thirds of the British species have come under my 

 notice. Of some of these, which are plentiful enough in 

 other localities, the occurrence of a single specimen 

 is all 1 have been able to chronicle, while others of 

 greater general rarity have been frequent, and, in addi- 

 tion to the pleasure I have derived from a quiet acquain- 

 tance with their habits, I have been fortunate enough to 

 record a few interesting facts respecting them. 



The former part of this remark applies to the first 

 species in the order the Great grey Shrike (Lanius 

 excubitor) a single male bird being the only one I 

 have met with here ; this was perched on a hedge in 

 Thoresby Park, from which it flew on my approach. I 

 am aware of one or two specimens having been seen by 

 others, and I have seen one that was shot in Nottingham 

 Forest a male in fine plumage but it is here only a 

 straggler. Its congener, the Red-backed Shrike (L. col- 

 lurio) is, on the contrary, a regular visitor, and I have 

 repeatedly observed it on the hedges bordering planta- 

 tions, which appear to be a favourite place of resort. 

 In these hedges its nest is usually placed, and they offer 



