6o RED-BACKED SHRIKE. 



that the first female was laying, and had an egg fully developed 

 in the ovary. A search was afterwards made, and the old nest 

 containing one egg found near the spot where all the three birds 

 were shot. The second female was a younger bird, and showed 

 no signs of breeding, the eggs in the ovary being very small." 



In addition to the above the Red-backed Shrike has been 

 observed on the undermentioned occasions in the county. In 

 some of these instances the dates would seem to indicate that 

 the species had nested in the locality, but the majority of the 

 occurrences were doubtless birds on their spring or autumn 

 migrations, . 



Prior to 1845 one was shot near Guisborough, and another 

 observed near Hull (Zoologist, 1845, pp. 1055 and 1023). One 

 was taken in a trap baited with young thrushes, at Ackworth, in 

 the summer of 1856 (Morris's Naturalist, 1857, p. 198). 



On the 26th of September, 1866, a fine female was shot at 

 Flanshaw near Wakefield, and preserved by Mr. Wm. Talbot. 

 Mr. W. W. Boulton informed Mr, Cordeaux that an adult female, 

 which he had in the flesh, shot near Beverley about the year 1866 

 or 1867, was the only example he had seen of this species in 

 that neighbourhood; and the latter gentleman in treating of this 

 species in his Birds of the Humber District quotes it as " very 

 rare," remarking that he had " never seen or met with a Lincoln- 

 shire-killed specimen." In the year 1869, on the first of July, 

 Mr, J, Lucas observed a Red-backed Shrike chattering and 

 making a great noise in a dell known as Hole Bottom, in 

 Nidderdale; adding that it is there a rare bird and that he had 

 no other record of its occurrence in that part of Yorkshire (ZooL, 

 1879, P- 4°4)- On the i8th of May, 1872,- one occurred at 

 Clayton West, and about 1876 a mature bird was obtained near 

 Richmond. Mr. M. Bailey of Flamborough has in his collection 

 a fine male which was brought to him in the flesh by a fisherman, 

 who had captured it on the sheet of his boat when seven miles 

 at sea off" the headland, on the 8th of May, 1877. 



Trans.Y.N.U., 1879 (pub. 1880). Series B 



