THE SHRIKE — THE WOOD-CHAT. 195 



Fierce and dauntless the tribe, by their cruelty known ; 

 The Tyrant infests not our temperate zone. 



pieces. It is said to imitate the notes of some other birds by 

 way of decoying them to their destruction. 



Of the Collurio, Red-backed Shrike, or Lesser Butcher-bird, 

 there are several varieties. The first has the tail somewhat 

 wedged, back grey, four middle feathers uniform; bill lead co- 

 lour. Common to England, which it visits in May, departing 

 in September; eggs five or six, bluish white, with cinereous 

 brown spots, or white with dusky spots. Feeds chiefly on in- 

 sects, which it transfixes on a thorn, tearing off the body. This 

 variety is called in this country the Butcher-bird ; it is said to be 

 a local species ; it has been found in North Wiltshire, Glouces- 

 tershire, and Somersetshire, particularly about Bristol. It is 

 found in Russia and France; and is common in Italy. It is 

 seven inches long. 



Another variety has the body grey, beneath reddish brown ; 

 inhabits Europe. Two other varieties inhabit Senegal. To these 

 may be added another variety. 



The Rutilus, Wood-chat, or Another sort of Butcher-bird, has 

 been by some naturalists described as a distinct species. It is 

 about the size of the Red-backed Shrike; the body above va- 

 riegated white and black, beneath reddish white. Common to 

 this country. 



It is either to this or the Great Shrike that Draston, I 

 presume, alludes in the following line: 



" The sharp-nebb'd Hecco stabbing at his brain ;" 



Owl. 

 but this I have not been enabled, notwithstanding all my inqui- 

 ries, accurately to determine. We sometimes wonder at the 

 obscurity of the Classics, but here is a line, written scarcely 

 two hundred years ago, that, is not, it appears, now intelligible. 

 Drayton again speaks of the Hecco in his Polyolbion, Song xiii. 



K 2 



