64 THE BUTCHER BIRD. 



one of these birds near his trap. It betrays the approach of 

 the Falcon, even at a great distance, by its fixed attention and 

 gestures ; and when the Hawk pounces on it, slips with a cry 

 into the cage, or other asylum, placed near the trap for its pro- 

 tection. As this bird utters the same cry when at liberty, it 

 is a common saying among the people, that he warns the little 

 birds through, envy, that he may have them all to himself. 



ADDITIONAL. This bird, although plentiful in Germany, is with 

 us merely a straggler, and, according to MUDIE, " one that does 

 not make its appearance at any usual tune of migration, the few 

 specimens that have been found in the country having been in 

 winter ; and certainly not as regular winter migrants, the rare 

 ones of which come late, and after very severe weather." This 

 author further states, that " the bird cannot, indeed, be regarded 

 as much of a migrant, in latitude, in any country, for it rather 

 follows the habit of the resident Insectivora the woodlands in 

 summer, and the lower plains in winter. The British specimens 

 are, in all probability, blown by east winds from Germany." 

 This, and the Bed-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio), are spoken of 

 by WHITE, as rare birds in this country. 



MACGILLIVRAY also, describes it as an occasional or accidental 

 visitant only ; and YARRELL doubts if it ever breeds here. 

 KNAPP, on the contrary, in his Journal of a Naturalist, says : 

 " The Great Shrike or Butcher-bird, is not uncommon with us, 

 and breeds annually near my dwelling. It is one of our late 

 birds of passage, but its arrival is soon made known to us by its 

 croaking unmusical voice from the summit of some tree. Its nest 

 is large and ill concealed ; and during the season of incubation, 

 the male bird is particularly uneasy at any approach towards his 

 setting mate, though often by his clamorous anxiety, he betravs 

 it and her to every birds-nesting boy. The female, when tne 

 eggs are hatched, unites her vociferations with those of the male, 

 and facilitates the detection of the brood. Both parents are 

 very assiduous in their attention to their offspring, feeding them 

 long after they have left the nest ; for the young appear to be 

 heavy, inactive birds, and little able to capture the winged in- 

 sects which constitute their principal food. I could never ob- 

 serve that this bird destroyed others smaller than itself, or even 

 fed upon flesh. I have hung up dead young birds, and even 

 parts of them, near to their nests, but never found that they were 

 touched by the Shrikes. Yet, it appears that it must be a butcher 

 too, and that the name ' Jjanius,' bestowed on it by GESNER two 

 hundred and fifty years ago, was not lightly given. My neigh- 

 bour's gamekeeper kills it as a bird of prey, and tells me he has 



