with hair ; it lays five or fix white eggs, fpotted with greyifli 

 brown, chiefly at the larger end ; the principal food of the 

 fpecies is beetles and other infers, thefe it is faid to 

 transfix on a thorn, 'and tearing off the body, leaves the re- 

 mainder behind ; we never noticed this curious circumftance, 

 but moft writers make mention of it ; all we can fay is, that 

 of numbers which we have examined, moftif not all of them, 

 contained parts of the legs and wings ; in one killed on the 

 fecond of July, were two whole beetles and forae undigefted 

 parts, the latter were in the Hate ufually found when prepared 

 for ejeding, which this fpecies does in the manner of the 

 larger birds of prey. 



Both parents and young are very clamorous at the approach 

 of any perfon near the neft, making a loud chattering noife ; 

 the note of the brood is very fimilar to that of young fpar- 

 rows. It is found plentifully in the vicinities of London and 

 Briftol i is alfo met with in fome parts of Wiltlhire, Glou^ 

 cefterfhire, Somerfetfhire, SuiTex, Surrey, Middlefex, EfTex, 

 Hertfordlhire, and Yorkfliire, but in many.other parts of this 

 kingdom is entirely unknown. 



Its provincial names are LelTer Butcher-Bird, Jack-Baker^ 

 Flufher, Shrite, and Shreek or Skreek, 



