14 Messrs. Siieppard and Whitear's Catalogue 



Shrike, like those of many other birds, are subject to some va- 

 riation. The ground of them is sometimes blueish-white, some- 

 times yellowish-white, and the spots are much larger and more 

 numerous upon some than upon others. The beak of one of 

 these birds which we shot, was coated over with cow-dung, 

 doubtless from its having been searching therein for insects. 

 We once saw a male Red-backed Shrike eager in chase of a 

 Blackbird. We have heard a bird of this kind exactly imitate 

 the cry of a young Owl ; but are at a loss to conjecture its ob- 

 ject, as it cannot be supposed to have done so with a view of 

 decoying birds of that sort within its reach. 



Genus X. Muscicapa. 



1. M. Grisola (Spotted Flycatcher, Wall-bird). 



The plumage of the young is very ditierent from that of the 

 old birds, being all over spotted. 



The form of the Spotted Flycatcher is altogether adapted for 

 activity of wing : its legs are very short ; its breast broad : the 

 bird narrows rapidly from breast to tail; and it has great length 

 of wing in proportion to its size. 



A Spotted Flycatcher was once observed by us to alight upon 

 a rail with a large white butterfly in its mouth, which it swallowed 

 whole, wings as well as body ; whereas a tame Brambling, which 

 has often butterflies given to it, uniformly rejects the wings. 

 Having one evening let fly a large specimen of the Lucamis 

 Cervus, it was immediately caught by a Spotted Flycatcher. 

 This bird is known in Norfolk and Suflblk by the name of Wall- 

 bird, from the circumstance of its frequently making its nest in 

 a tree against a wall. 



2. M. albicolUs (Pied Flycatcher). 



We have seen a specimen of this bird, which was killed near 



Cromer. 



