218 DENTIROSTRES. 



consciousness of liis usual habit of putting an end to them. 

 The mode of taking his prey is generally when perched or 

 on the ground, when he takes hold of them both with his 

 beak and claws : he takes them also on the wing. To show 

 the courage of this bird it need only be stated, that he pounces 

 upon thrushes, and takes even partridges when they are 

 wounded or weak. When he has mastered his prey he 

 does not stand upon it, but thrusts it between two stones, 

 or in some narrow place, or fastens it on a thorn in a bush 

 for the purpose of consuming it. During his migration he 

 may be seen perched on a lump of earth in a field, or hover- 

 ing in the air and descending quickly when he sees his prey 

 in a promising position. 



In the summer the food of this species consists principally of 

 beetles and frogs, which has been proved by their disgorged 

 pellets ; while in the winter they principally eject feathers 

 and mouse-hair. When they carry a mouse or bird of any 

 size a certain distance, they exchange their load from the 

 beak to the claws and back again, for the purpose of resting 

 these members alternately, until they have reached their 

 favourite bush. 



The places most frequented by the Ash-coloured Shrike 

 for the purpose of breeding are woods near pasture land. The 

 nest is either placed in a tree of some height or in a branch 

 of a wild fruit-tree, or in a tall maythorn bush, and appears 

 very skilfully put together. The materials chosen are hay, 

 stalks, twigs, heath, ground and tree-moss, and the whole is 

 lined with wool and hair. The five, six, or seven eggs are 

 hatched in about fifteen days. 



The young birds have the first feathering greenish on the back. 



The egg No. 42 belongs to the Ash-coloured Shrike. 



The outlined head (fig. 42) is of this species, of the natu- 

 ral size. 



