RE I) -HA C K E D S H R I K E. 
LANIUS COL LU RIO. 
The Red-backed Shrike (known in most country districts as the Butcher bird) is one of the latest of the 
migratory birds to arrive on our shores in the spring. It is stated by some authors that it makes its 
appearance in the end of April: this, according to my own experience, is an early date; I have frequently 
noticed in cold seasons that the first week in May is passed before all the usual stations arc occupied each 
by its pair ol Shrikes, who during summer seldom stray far from their accustomed haunt. 
This handsome bird may be observed in most parts of Sussex and other southern counties. I have also 
met with it particularly abundant in the grass country round Harrow-on-the-Hill, ten or a dozen miles north 
of London, the dense thom-liedges in that locality being well suited to its requirements for breeding-purposes. 
In Norfolk, a few scattered pairs have come under my observation in the eastern division of the county ■ 
but I have not recognized even a single specimen further north. ’ 
The food of this species consists for the most part of beetles, bees of various kinds, dragonflies, and other 
tege insects; these, at times, it impales on the thorn-hedges along its beat; field-mice are also occasionally 
taken. . I cannot at the present moment recall to mind a single instance where I have seen more than two or 
hree victims transfixed on one bush, and seldom, if ever, above half a dozen along a whole hedvelv 
ccording to several published accounts, however, their larders are at times well stocked. The most elaborutelv 
garnished twigs I ever had an opportunity of inspecting were a couple of small shoots ofwMtetW n rtc 
mTiZTndtu 2> nT 'rftte^Butcher bird TaT^ i^ 118 aUXi ° US *° be00m ° with the 
individual kadobtained theseT^^XS Xtan “ 
story-books which we are told are founded on f.ct ° Llke the marvell °ns tales in children’s 
which had been made use of by the birds and contain 7 ™ 0108 ooll<!ctlons were fixed on the very twigs 
impaled *. The reason for Js ^ “ ^mselvls 
with what seemed to be an old ml MoCfiZ^ 7 i0 “ W " 1 1 — noticed a male flying 
“y destroys youns 1 ^ : tc: zi s: 
r r** ° f — — - ^ 
under my observation it has been placed in a thick thorn b °i 7' ' ^ inStaQCe that has come 
It is a singular fact that this species lavs three r r .f U ° ^ height from thc ground, 
town spots; a pale yellow ground, with dark cream colour A ^ ^ ^ ° f ° SSS ^ pal ° pink ground, with red- 
wlute ground, with hrown or bluish-grey mark“ “? ‘ ^ ^ ^w or almost a dirty- 
• 1 tact as i haTO carof u „ y studied () ° rulc t0 for ««« varieties. Each 
^a tty , ingofthekindIhavecvermetwiththatial 
