Birds. 7539 



they had been cast up by the birds, only they were lying singly, and 

 were pretty regularly distributed all round. 



Woodchat Shrike (Z. rutilus), A common summer visitor, arriving 

 early in April, and taking its departure about the middle of Septem- 

 ber. For some weeks after its arrival it may frequently be seen near 

 the outskirts of the Forest of Soignies, rapidly flitting from tree to ' 

 tree, now and then alighting for a few seconds to pick up a large 

 insect, and continually uttering a loud single note, not very unlike 

 that of a chaffinch. Upon the approach of the breeding-season it 

 retires further into the woods, where it builds its large and ill-con- 

 cealed nest upon the branch of a tree, at the distance of some yards 

 from the ground. On May 7th I discovered the first nest, which I fre- 

 quently revisited until the young were fledged. Though rather large, it 

 was neatly and compactly made of sticks, grass, wool and a few fibrous 

 roots, and lined with fine grass intermixed with a large quantity of 

 wool. The eggs were very similar to those of the redbacked shrike. In- 

 cubation continues for about sixteen days, during which period, but more 

 especially in the early part of the morning, the male may occasionally 

 be seen upon the eggs. I once observed a male constructing a second 

 nest within a iew feet of the one in which the female was sitting. The 

 young, a little before they leave the nest, slightly remind one of young 

 skylarks in colour, but at any distance they may be recognized by 

 their while scapulars. I have never yet succeeded in discovering the 

 remains of other birds near the nest of the woodchat, nor have I found 

 anything but insects in its stomach ; but that it really does occasion- 

 ally kill and devour small birds has been satisfactorily proved by 

 more careful observers than myself. My belief in this is strengthened 

 by the fact of my having seen it fix small birds and pieces of meat 

 between the wires of its cage, the more easily to be able to tear them, 

 just as though it were well accustomed to the management of so large 

 a prey. Woodchats being constantly exposed for sale in the markets, 

 I had no difficulty in procuring specimens. Among eleven females 

 examined bj- me there were no less than two in male plumage, the 

 ovaries, &c., being, so far as could be ascertained, in their normal 

 stale. The plumage of one was precisely similar to that of an adult 

 male, while that of the other only differed in the slight rusty tinge 

 upon the sides and upon some of the outer tail-fealhers. Such 

 instances, however, are far from being of frequent occurrence, as several 

 bird-stuflfers have assured me. The reniaiks made by Yarrell (vol. i. 

 p. 165) upon the changes of plumage in the redbacked shrike may 

 perhaps be applied with equal truth to Ihe woodchat. 



