2S 
natural history. 
During summer, such of them as constantly reside here 
for the smaller red butcher-bird migrates, remain among the 
mountainous parts of the country; but in winter they de- 
scend into the plains and nearer human habitations. The 
larger kind make their nests on the highest trees, while the 
lesser build in bushes in the fields and hedge-rows. They 
both lay about six eggs, of a white colour, but encircled at 
the larger end with a ring of a brownish red. The nest on 
the outside is composed of white moss, interwoven with lorn* 
grass; within, it is well lined with wool, end it is usually 
fixed among the forking branches of a tree. Th e female feeds 
her young with caterpillars and other insects while very 
young ; but soon after accustoms them to flesh, which the 
male proa, res with surprising industry. Their nature also 
is very different from other birds of prey in their parental 
f arc : st ? * ar " om driving out their young from the nest 
to shift for themselves, they keep them with care : and even 
when adult they do not forsake them, but the whole brood 
live m one family together. Each family lives apart, and is 
' generally composed of the male, female, and five or six you, nr 
ones ; these all maintain peace and subordination among 
each other, and hunt in concert. It is easy to distinsuish 
these birds at a distance, not only from their goin'* in com- 
panies, but also from their manner of flying, which’is always 
up and down, seldom direct or side-ways. J 
Of these birds there are above forty different kinds, foreign 
and domestic ; but the great cinereous butcher-bird is the 
least known among us. The red-bached , which is in length 
seven inches and a half, and which is of a reddish brown 
with a black tail, migrates in autumn, and does not return 
till spring. 1 he zeoodchat resembles the former, except in 
the colour of the back, which is brown, and not red, as in 
the other. 
The foreign birds of the shrike genus are infinitely varied 
in plumage. The Malabar shrike is conspicuous for the 
singularity and beauty of its form. It is the size of the 
missel thrush. I he general colour of its plumage is black, 
though on the back it is glossed with a fine shade of blue. 
Its head is crested, and the two outer feathers of the tail are 
three times the length of the others, and have for about six 
inches the shaft quite naked. 
_ T «\ 0 ™: b ‘ lds °f. tIle owl kind have one common 
mark by which they are distinguished from others; their 
eyes, like those of tigers and cats, are formed for seeing 
better in the dusk, than in the broad glare of sun-shine! 
