AND IRELAND OF THE RED-BACKED SHRIKE. 307 
In the same work it is included in a list of birds observed on the 
Scilly Islands, but not as breeding there. An immature specimen 
is mentioned as occurring in the Abbey Gardens on the 22nd 
September, 1870. The local name is given as Flusher. Mr. II. 
St. B. Goldsmith ascertained, from a friend, that in the Liskeard 
district this Shrike is rare (in lit.). 
WALES. 
Carnarvonshire. Mr. T. A. Coward, of Bowdon, near 
Manchester, informs me that he found a nest with four eggs 
between Pwllheli and Abersoch on the Gth June, 1887, and 
watched both birds (in lit.). 
Denbighshire. Mr. C. G. Beale informs me that it is an 
occasional visitor to that part of the valley of the Ceiriog known 
as the Glyn valley, which extends westward from Chirk to 
Llansaintffraid-Glyn-Ceiriog ; and he expects that it frequents all 
the warmer Welsh valleys more or less. Like many other observers 
he has often seen it in the Dolgelly and Barmouth district (in lit.). 
Merionethshire. Captain E. A. Swainson has found it rather 
common at Dolgelly and Barmouth, and remarks on its abundance 
in the districts adjoining the sea in this county and Cardigan 
(in lit., April, 1891). 
Mr. G. II. Caton Haigh writes from Aber-ia, Penrhyndeudraeth, 
that in that immediate neighbourhood the Red-backed Shrike is 
a scarce though regular summer visitor. Further south, “in the 
neighbourhood of Llanbedr and Barmouth, and along the valleys 
of the Mawddach and Dwfi,” he adds, “it appears to be much 
more common, and may often be seen perched on the telegraph 
wires” (in lit.). 
Mr. F. Coburn, of Birmingham, reports that on several occasions 
he has found it numerous around Barmouth, and on one occasion 
observed four “ branchers ” perched close together on a hedge 
between Moeliras Island and Pensarn (in lit.). 
Eyton in 1838 wrote of it : “ Very common in Wales, par- 
ticularly near Capel Curig and Barmouth ; at the latter place they 
feed chietly on insects belonging to the genus Geotrupes (Dorr 
beetles), which particularly abound. At Capel Curig, grasshoppers 
appear to constitute their chief food ; some dozens of them may 
