GREAT GREY SHRIKE. 159 
This bird is used by falconers abroad during autumn and 
winter when trapping Falcons. The Shrike is fastened to 
the ground, and, by screaming loudly, gives notice to the 
Falconer, who is concealed, of the approach of a Hawk. 
It was on this account, therefore, called exeubitor,—the 
sentinel. It frequents groves and forests, and builds on 
trees at some distance from the ground, making a nest of 
bents, roots, and moss, lined with down and wool. The 
eggs are from four to six in number, of a bluish or greyish 
white colour, spotted over the large end with two shades of 
light brown and ash. The length of the egg one inch one 
line, by nine limes and a half in breadth. 
The Grey Shrike has been obtained in several southern 
and western counties,—in Surrey, Sussex, Wiltshire, Dor- 
setshire, Devonshire, Worcestershire, and Cheshire ; and I 
am informed by Mr. Thompson of Belfast, that it has oc- 
curred in one or two instances in the North of Ireland. A 
specimen shot near Belfast is m the collection of Dr. J. D. 
Marshall. North of London, it has been killed in Hert- 
fordshire, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Yorkshire, 
Cumberland, Northumberland, and Durham. No Shrikes 
appear to have been seen either in the islands of Orkney 
or Shetland; but the Grey Shrike is included among the 
birds of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Lapland, Russia, 
and Germany. In Holland it is rare; but it is rather 
a common bird in France, and remains there throughout 
the year, frequentmg woods in summer, and open plains 
in winter. It is an inhabitant of Spam, Provence, and 
Italy. It is found also in Sicily, Malta, Fezzan, and east- 
ward as far as Erzeroom. 
In the old male, the upper mandible is black, with a 
projecting tooth near the point of the beak, which is con- 
siderably curved ; under mandible yellowish brown at the 
base, becoming brownish black at the end; the nostrils hid 
