BIRDS OF DUMFRIESSHIRE 
February 24th."* Mr. Hugh Mackay records in 1895 that 
" A specimen of the Great Grey Shrike or Butcher Bird 
was lately observed in the vicinity of Greenbrae (Dumfries) 
with the remains of a small bird in its claw."t An immature 
female was taken alive below Glencaple (Caerlaverock) on 
October 14th, 1899.J It was kept in a cage, but died m a 
few days. I am informed by Mr. George Kerss that one of 
these birds was caught in Craigieland's garden (Kirkpatrick- 
Juxta) in 1899 or 1900. A fine example of the double-barred 
form was shot by Mr. Norman Menzies at Newtonairds on 
December 27th, 1906 ; it was a male and not a female as I 
described it at the time in the Annals of Scottish Natural 
History,^ Mr. Robert Martin writes me that he has seen this 
species in Glencairn, once at Dardarroch, and again at 
Maxwelton Mains. 
The Great Grey Shrike is a fairly regular visitor from the 
Continent to Scotland and England in autumn and winter. 
The typical form, Lanius excubitor of Linnaeus, has a double 
wing-bar ; Lanius major of PaUas, which shows only a single 
wing-bar, is now considered by modern authorities to be a 
mere variety ; both forms have occurred in the county. 
THE RED-BACKED SHRIKE. Lanius collurio, Linnaeus. 
A very rare visitor. 
It was recorded in 1835 that, " Among the more rare 
birds . . may be noticed the Butcher Bird {Lamus 
collurio) [which has been] seen in this parish"|| (Langholm), 
and a similar record is found in the description of Lochmaben 
* Scottish Naturalist, 1891, Vol. XI., p. 62. 
t Dumfries Courier and Herald, February 16th, 1895. 
X Ami. Scot. Nat. Hist., 1900, p. 48. 
§ Op. cit., 1907, pp. 112, 113. 
11 New Stat. Acct. Scot., Vol. IV., p. 418. 
