IX. — Natural History. — Notes on the Ornithology of Cornwall for 

 the year 1866-7. — By E. Hearle Eodd. 



Read at the Spring Meeting, May 14, 1867. 



THERE is a probability of our being able to add another new 

 European species of " Shrike," or " Butcher Bird," to our list 

 of British Birds and the Avifauna of Cornwall, although the oc- 

 currence of the individual, and, as far as I can learn, the only 

 example, took place in the year 1851 at Scilly, and it is recorded 

 in the Zoologist for that year (p. 3300) as the " Great Gray Shrike, 

 at Scilly." I received the bird in the flesh and had it preserved 

 by Mr. Vingoe, and set up as the "Female Great Gray Shrike," in 

 my case containing the " British Laniidse." It proved on dissection 

 to be a female ; but, on comparing it with a specimen, in the same 

 case, of the " Great Ash-coloured Shrike " (Lanms Excuhitor), a 

 male bird, there were several points of difference — in size, length 

 of tail, in the form and character of the black streak through 

 and behind the eye, (which in the bu-d now under notice is 

 a blotch rather than streak), and in the absence of white on 

 the scapulary feathers ; together with a remarkable variation 

 in the structure and form of the bill.^ — I labelled it, however, as 

 the " Female Great Gray Shrike " ; but subsequent observations 

 induced me to express my doubts as to the identity of the two 

 birds, to my friend the Rev. John Jenkinson, who, last year, was 

 on a visit at my house, and who has been a fellow-labourer with 

 me in ornithological pursuits. I must refer you to the pages of 

 last year's Zoologist for his Papers pointing out the variations 

 which suggested themselves in my two birds. The several 

 characters offering distinction were ably concentrated by him 

 in that periodical. — Soon afterwards, I met Mr. Gould, at Tre- 

 gothnan, and I called his attention to these two specimens ; 

 and, as he was about to prepare the Plates of our Great Gray 

 Shrike for the next number of his " Birds of Great Britain," he 



