402 BRITISH BIRDS. 



The Yellow Wagtail {M. rati) is one of our regular summer 

 visitors, and is generally common. In colour this bird is yelloir 

 and olive ; the head, nape, and back are pale olive ; chin and 

 lower parts yellow ; a yellow streak is also present over the 

 eyes. The neighbourhood of ponds, canals, and ditches seems 

 its favourite locality ; but they may also be seen near cattle, 

 catching the flies attracted to them. All these birds are 

 insect-feeders, and thus should be encouraged and their nests 

 preserved. 



The Pipits (Anthus) are insectivorous, but weed-seeds are also 

 eaten by them. 



The Shrikes (Laniid^). 



The Shrikes or Butcher Birds have a rather short compressed 

 bill ; the upper mandible hooked at the point, and with a 

 prominent tooth. The base of the bill is beset with bristly 

 feathers directed forward. Four species are found in Britain; 

 the Bed-Backed Shrike {Lanius collurio) is the most abundant. 

 This bird arrives in the early part of May, and leaves us again 



in August. The nest, ■which 

 is large^ is placed in a thom 

 hedge as a rule, some five 

 or six feet from the ground. 

 The food consists of lizards, 

 mice, beetles, bees, and other 

 insects. The food, especi- 

 Fio. 196.— Head of Shrike. ally the insccts, are impaled 



The Rod-Backed Shrike {Lanius collurio). on thorns around the nest, 

 (Slightly enlarged.) 



hence their common name 

 " Butcher Bird." Three others are found in the summer, 

 namely, the Great and Lesser Grey Shrikes (L. excubitor and 

 mitwr), and the Woodchat {L. pomei-anuts). The Butcher Bird 

 is looked upon as one of the farmer's friends ; but if one ex- 

 amines the larder of these birds one finds as many beneficial 

 and useful insects as injurious ones impaled upon the thorns. 



