3 
Mr. H. M. Labouchere says it frequents the wooded parts of the dunes or sand-hills in the 
northern provinces of Holland, where it breeds. 
During the summer it is found throughout France; and Jaubert remarks that in Provence it 
is principally migratory, though a few remain to breed. Lord Lilford informs us that “it is 
common on the Spanish slopes of the Pyrenees, in Guipuzcoa, Navarre, and Aragon. I never 
met with it in any other part of Spain.” Indeed in Southern Spain it is decidedly rare, and it is 
evident that the line by which the bulk of the migration arrives in Europe does not lie in this 
direction. It is not included in the list of birds of Andalucia sent to us by Major Irby; and 
Mr. Howard Saunders thus writes :— 
““T never observed this species in any part of Southern or Central Spain, nor even in the 
north-east portion, where I certainly expected to find it, until I learned from Dr. Louis Companyo, 
of Perpignan, that it was very rare even on his side of the Pyrenees.” 
Mr. C. F. Tyrwhitt Drake, writing on the Birds of Tangiers and Eastern Morocco, says he 
saw it ‘“‘at Martine in summer.” 
From Mr. C. A. Wright’s Appendix to his ‘ List of Birds observed in the Islands of Malta 
and Gozo,’ we take the following note :— 
“Some years ago I purchased in the Malta market a bird which appeared to be a female 
(young) of this species. ‘This was in the autumn. ‘The specimen was in a too advanced state of 
decomposition to be preserved; and not being quite certain of the species, I did not feel justified 
at the time in admitting it into the list. Since then I have seen an undoubted example, which 
had been killed in Malta, in the collection of Signor Schembri, who had obtained it after the 
publication of his Catalogue in 1843. ‘This bird may therefore be considered as an accidental 
visitant.” 
Count Salvadori tells us that it is very common in Italy from May to September. Professor 
Doderlein observes :—“ It is far from common in Sicily; and although a few pairs nest in the 
wooded districts about Gonato di Castelbuono &c., yet in the neighbourhood of Palermo and 
Messina it is positively rare, whatever Malherbe may say to the contrary; as a proof of which 
I have only been able to obtain a single pair in four years for the University Museum at 
Palermo.” 
In Greece, Lindermayer remarks that it is common in Roumelia and on the island of Kubeea, 
but does not occur on the other islands. Mr. C. A. Wright also says “it is very common in 
autumn in the neighbourhood of Athens, whence I have received specimens.” 
The late Mr. Strickland met with it at Smyrna in April; and in Palestine, Dr. Tristram 
writes, “The Red-backed Shrike is most abundant on the high grounds of Hermon and 
Lebanon, where it supplants all the other species—but only in summer, as it returns in May, 
and we obtained the eggs as late as June 20th. On the 16th of May, Mr. Bartlett and I took 
ten nests of eggs in one forenoon near Lake Phiala on Hermon.” 
Lord Lilford says it arrives in small numbers in Corfu in April, and remains to breed; and 
Messrs. Elwes and Buckley, in their paper on the Birds of Turkey, observe :—‘‘ We shot only 
one specimen at Belgrade, on April 22nd; but Mr. Robson says it is common in summer.” 
Professor von Nordmann says it is found “ throughout all New Russia, where it nests in the 
hedges.” 
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