RED-BACKED SHRIKE. 163 
seven inches diameter ; it is usually placed rather high in a 
strong hedge or thick bush; the nest, shaped like a cup, is 
generally formed of coarse stalks of plants on the outside, 
with some moss and fibrous roots within, and lined with 
bents and a few hairs. ‘The eggs are four or five in num- 
ber, about eleven lines long by eight lines in breadth, gene- 
rally uniform in size, but very variable in colour, sometimes 
pale bluish white, spotted with hair-brown and ash-grey, 
the spots confined to the larger end of the egg, and fre- 
quently forming a band ; occasionally they are found of a 
greenish white, with darker spots ; and in many instances 
the eggs are pale reddish white, spotted with two shades of 
darker red and reddish brown.—Three eggs are exceed- 
ingly well represented in Mr. W. C. Hewitson’s work. 
The parent birds are clamorous over their young brood, 
and the little family keep together as long as they remain 
in this country. 
The Red-backed Shrike is common about London, and 
in most, if not all, the southern and western counties of 
England and Wales, going northward from thence as far as 
Cumberland ; but there, as observed by Dr. Heysham, it 
is rare. It has not, I believe, been observed by Ornitho- 
logists in any part of Ireland. North of London, on the 
east coast, it is found in Kssex, Suffolk, Norfolk, and York- 
shire ; but occasionally only as far north as Northumber- 
land and the south-eastern part of Durham. It has not, 
that I am aware, been noticed in Scotland or its islands ; 
yet it visits Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Russia. 
From thence southward, it is found in Germany, France, 
Spain, Provence, Italy, Corfu, Sicily, and Malta. Speci- 
mens were sent by Keith Abbot, Esq. to the Zoological 
Society from Trebizond ; it also inhabits Egypt and North 
Africa, is included by Le Vaillant among the birds of 
M 2 
