120 VERTEBRATE FAUNA OF LAKELAND 



EED-BACKED SHEIKE. 



Lanius collurio, L. 



The Eed-backed Shrike is one of those species which would 

 surprise a south-country naturalist, visiting Lakeland, by their 

 extreme scarcity at the present time, although formerly not very 

 uncommon. There is no reason to suppose that this Shrike was a 

 regular visitor to the north of Lakeland at any recent period. As 

 long ago as 1 835, at any rate, Mr. T. C. Hey sham pronounced it to 

 be very rare near Carlisle, though cognisant of its breeding then 

 (as now) in the neighbourhood of Keswick. Dr. Gough wrote 

 in 1861 that this Shrike was a summer visitant to the Kendal 

 district, but not frequently met with, though partial to the 

 hedges near the castle. In 1870 the same naturalist observed 

 in his notes that this bird had formerly been not uncommon 

 near Kendal. Mr. Hindson, whose experiences carry us into 

 the ' seventies ' at any rate, has left a note describing the 

 Eed-backed Shrike as found ' about Kirkby-Lonsdale, but not 

 common.' Mr. Murray of Carnforth tells me that, when collect- 

 ing insects with Mr. J. B. Hodgkinson, near Witherslack, a few 

 summers ago, they closely observed a pair of these Shrikes 

 which had evidently a nest close by ; that is the only occasion 

 upon which he has met with the species in Lakeland. Mr. Tom 

 Duckworth found a nest of this Shrike near Carlisle many years 

 ago; an incident repeated in 1884, when a nest and eggs of 

 this species were taken near Scotby. 



WOODCHAT. 



Lanius pomeranus, Sparrman. 



The occurrence of this Shrike in Lakeland rests on the 

 authority of the late Mr. Dickinson. He states : ' On April 1 1th, 

 1872, I saw a Woodchat Shrike near Stainburn tannery. It 

 sat on the wall several minutes, while I stood within twenty 

 yards of it, and saw the pare white body, with red-brown back, 

 very distinct. This was the only one I ever saw. Mr. George 

 Mawson asserts that a pair had a nest near Braystones a year or 



