382 LANIUS CRISTATUS. 



said companion very soon appears on a neighbouring bush and vies with him in creating a general disturbance! 

 There is this much to be said, that it is more noisy when it first arrives than after it has settled down in its 

 new quarters ; and is it to be wondered that after such a journey it should desire to proclaim its safe arrival ? 

 It is a restless bird, continually on the move, and is very difficult to come within range of, as directly it 

 perceives that it is being approached it flies off to another perch. I have often seen it on the ground pur- 

 suing grasshoppers by darting at them as they fly out of the grass, and have noticed it proceeding across 

 a road with prodigious hops and very erect carriage. Although its food is almost entirely insectivorous, it is 

 occasionally guilty of the crime which has acquired for its family the name of " Butcher-birds," as Mr. Bligli 

 informs me that he has known it to impale a White-eye (Zosterops ceylonensis) after the manner of the Euro- 

 pean species. It never takes long flights while resident, merely proceeding from the top of one bush to another ; 

 and during the winter season its note consists of nothing but the harsh chattering above mentioned. Blyth 

 says that it warbles very sweetly at the end of the cold season at Calcutta. 



Nidification. — I am unable to give my readers any further particulars touching the nesting of this bird 

 than those already contained in my extract from Colonel Prjevalski's notes. That it does not breed in India 

 is evident, although Tickell was led to suppose that it did so. The nest and eggs described by him were 

 evidently those of a Bulbul. 



