AND IRELAND OB’ THE RED-BACKED SHRIKE. 
297 
Birds,’ traces the distribution in this county very carefully. 
I extract the following particulars still visits the 
county every summer,” hut in consequence of it, or its nest, being 
frequently destroyed, and of changes in the country, has of late 
years become rather rare. It prefers the south and west of the 
county, where it is more generally distributed ; but it breeds every 
year about Newport and Edgmond. Occurrences at Shifnal, the 
Wrokin, Leighton, and near Wroxeter are mentioned; and the 
fact that a pair frequently breed on Haughmond Hill. In 1881 
throe pairs were found breeding noar Broseloy. It has been 
observed about Ironbridge, Church Stoke, and Chirbury ; and 
Mr. G. J. Dumville Lees sent Mr. Bockwith word that it bred at 
Nant Marw, near Llanyblodwell in 1885, remarking that it was 
not uncommon along the borders of Montgomeryshire. A nest 
was seen near Llansilin in the summer of 1887. “Indeed, it is 
extremely likely to bo found all along the Welsh borders, as the 
tracts of partly cultivated, partly wild country, so common in 
Wales, are eminently suited to it” (pp. 28 and 29). 
Mr. W. E. Beckwith writes mo word that in duly, 1889, he 
several times saw a pair near Church Stretton, which were catching 
moths by the railway (in lit.). 
Mr. George Potts, Regent’s Park, London, N.W., sends me the 
following notes: “The Red-backed Shrike is a fairly common 
visitor to many places in Shropshire, especially round the small 
towns there. Around the small town of Broseley I have seen as 
many as six broods of young birds (out of the nest) in one 
morning, being attracted to them by their conspicuous squealing 
and other cries. I rarely see them outside a radius of a mile from 
the town. I fancy they are on the increase ; but I fear that their 
partiality to feeding their family on hive bees tends rather the 
other way on occasions ” (in lit.). 
Herefordshire. “ Not uncommon in particular localities 
throughout the county, and its beautiful eggs are to be seen in 
every schoolboy’s collection. It usually visits the same locality 
year after year. The Rev. Clement Ley observed it in the same 
place, near Ross, for twenty-three years ” . . . . (Dr. Bull’s 
‘Notes on the Birds of Herefordshire,’ 1888, p. 39). 
Mr. J. B. Pilly, of Hereford, writes that he is of opinion that 
the Shrike is “but sparingly distributed.” Among the eggs 
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