propriate name of Butcherbird, Lanins. Selecting a station on a twig or decayed branch, it sallies forth in 
pursuit of insects which happen to pass near ; and it is probably from its remaining so perched for a long- 
time that it has obtained the name of excubitor, or the Sentinel — although another mode of accounting for 
this appellation has reference to its being employed on the Continent in trapping Hawks, when, being fastened 
to the ground, it apprises the falconer, by its loud screams, of the approach of a bird. Its flight is undulated, 
or performed in a waving line ; and when searching for prey it occasionally hovers in the manner of a Hawk. 
Although it is generally represented as carrying its prey in its bill, it appears that it sometimes employs its 
feet for that purpose, . . Its ordinary notes resemble the syllables tcee, wee, pronounced loiidly and sharply, 
and in anger it screams like a Hawk ; but it emits various sounds, and is said to imitate the notes and cries 
of many of the smaller birds for the purpose of attracting them. On the continent it places its nest, 
which is very large, in the fork of a branch at a considerable height from the ground, forming it of 
moss and stems of dry grass, and lining it with wool and hair. The eggs are from five to eight in 
number, of a greyish-wbite, marked toward tbe larger end with spots of reddish-brown and greyisb-purple ; 
tbeir length is an inch and two twelfths ; and their greatest diameter ten twelfths. They defend tbeir nest 
against Crows and Hawks with admirable courage and skill, so as to put to flight birds possessed of ten 
times their strength ; and their affection for their young corresponds with the ardour of their temper, as 
ap])ears to be generally tbe case in animals. After the young come abroad, they remain with their parents 
until tbe commencement of tbe pairing-season, 
“ Altbougb individuals have been found with us at all times of the year, it has not been observed to breed 
in this country. It is not uncommon in France, where it remains all the year, generally keeping to the 
woods in summer and autumn, but approaching inhabited places in winter, and thus appearing to he more 
numerous at that season. It is found as far south as Spain and Italy, and extends northward to Sweden, 
Russia, Norway, and Lapland, but leaves those countries at the approach of winter. In England its 
migrations are very irregular. It has been killed in Suffolk in January, April, May, and July; in Norfolk 
in the autumn ; and one frequented a thick thorn hedge near Mr. Hoy’s house at Higham, in December, but 
was so shy, that it could not be approached within gun-shot. On examining the hedge, Mr. Hoy found 
three frogs and as many mice, spitted on the thorns. He therefore set six very small steel traps, each 
halted with a mouse. On the following day two of the traps were found sprung, and the bait gone. By 
watching in concealment, Mr. Hoy soon afterwards observed the Shrike dart down to a bait perpendicularly, 
but not quick enough to escape, as it was caught hy two of its toes. The bird was carried alive to tbe 
house and placed in a room iu which a thorn bush was fixed, and some mice given to it ; one of which it 
was observed, through a hole, to spit upon a thorn with the greatest quickness and adroitness.” 
A writer in the ‘ Naturalist ’ says : — “ I can testify to the power assigned to this bird by some naturalists of 
vai-ying its notes, or rather imitating those of other birds. Not exactly, indeed; for my first acquaintance 
with the Butcherbird was occasioned by my hearing notes not entirely familiar to me, though much 
resembling those of the Stonechat. Following the sound, I soon discovered the utterer ; and while listening, 
to my surprise, the original notes were discarded and others adopted of a softer and more melodious 
character, never, however, prolonged to anything like a continuous song. Its grave ash-coloured garb, with 
its peculiar black patch on the cheek, soon convinced me that my unknown friend was the Butcherbird, that 
petty tyrant of its neighbourhood, carrying on incessant warfare and wanton waste of life amongst the small 
fry of the Passerine order, and whose war-cry was wont to put all minor warblers to flight.” 
To the above I would add that the materials of which the nest is formed appear to vary according to the 
nature of the country in which it is built ; thus the late Mr. Wheelwright describes a nest taken by himself 
in Lapland as one of the warmest and most comfortable he had ever seen, being large and deej), built 
outwardly of dead fir branches, and lined with a very thick layer of the pure-white feathers of the Willow- 
Grouse. 
The male has the head and upper surface clear grey ; line across the forehead and over the eye white ; 
lores and moustacbe-like streak on tbe side of the head black ; wings black, with tbe exception of the bases 
of the primaries and secondaries and the tips of all but the first four primaries, which are white ; upper tail- 
coverts and all the under surface white ; three outer tail-feathers white, except the basal portion of the 
shaft, which is black ; remainder of the tail-feathers black, tipped with white, which lessens in extent as the 
feathers approach the centre; upper mandible brownish black, margined with yellowish grey at the base; 
lower mandible yellowish grey, brownish black at the tip ; irides dark brown ; feet brownish black. - 
The difference in the female has been pointed out above. 
The young have the upper parts brownish grey; tail-coverts faintly barred with dusky; wings and tail 
blackish brown. As the birds advance in age the upper surface becomes of a purer grey, the under surface 
white, and the wings and tail darker. 
The Plate represents an adult male. The Shrew on the thorn is the Sorex aranens, Linn. 
