on the Breeding in Captivity of the Red-backed Shrike. 345


its claws when striking in an attack upon an enemy or large prey,

or in which it uses them when grasping and holding up a large

beetle or bumble-bee whilst it is pulling the prey to pieces. I

have already mentioned the Hawk-like attitudes of the male

when he is inclined to play. While this species readily accom¬

modates itself in captivity to associations with man, it never¬

theless does not deteriorate in its natural character. No bird

is more observant of everything going on around it; it watches

and understands every one of your movements, every bird or

animal which happens to pass within the range of its keen

vision, betraying by an angry chatter the approach of a stranger,

a cat or a Hawk, whilst the members of the household, even the

dogs, are viewed with indifference or received with pleasure.

The birds I have at present readily come to the call, either to

receive food which they take from the hand in a particularly

gentle manner, or merely for the sake of amusement, for the

male likes to play with a finger held out to him, a stick, or

similar object.


The qualification of the Butcher-bird as a songster is of

no mean order, although I have never among English specimens

met with so accomplished an artist, as was a German bird which

imitated the song of a Blackcap-Warbler to perfection. My

male which is living in celibacy, has now continued to sing from

November to the end of August.


Whether other species of Shrike would make equally

attractive cage-birds, I have no experience. The Larger and

Lesser Grey Shrikes which I have kept, had previously passed

through hands, in which they had not the advantages of proper

treatment. I am now very anxious to try the Woodchat. To

domesticate Shrikes (if I may use that expression), and to com¬

pletely reconcile them to life in captivity, it is necessary to take

them from the nest. Older birds never lose their natural shy¬

ness, and survive the loss of their liberty for a short time only,

so that no attempt should be made to cage them. The young

birds reared in my aviary, were at first very timid, but by the

time they fed themselves, they came and took mealworms from

the hand, being nearly as tame as were their parents when of



