THE GREAT GREY SHRIKE 151 



This Shrike is one of the regular visitors from the 

 Continent, coming to Great Britain in autumn and 

 winter. In England it has even been seen during the 

 summer, but it has not bred with us. Lizards, mice, 

 shrews, frogs, and insects, especially beetles and grass- 

 hoppers, it feeds on, as well as small birds. 



The Great Grey Shrike is 9*5 inches in length. 

 The back is light ashen-grey ; underparts dingey white, 

 brow whitish; from the base of the bill a broad black 

 band passes over the eye to near the ear. Bill, legs, 

 wings and tail black : the wings, however, have a white 

 patch, and also the feathers on both sides of the tail 

 show a white border. On the underparts of the female 

 bird, faint stripes of a darker shade are discernible. The 

 bill is indented at the point and has a hook. The bird 

 builds its nest in trees and lays five or six eggs, occa- 

 sionally seven, greenish-white speckled with grey. 



A Watchful Mother. 



