As we have had so few opportunities of observing this bird in a state of nature, I cannot perhaps do better 
than give a free translation of some interesting passages respecting it in the ‘ Ornithologie de la Savoye,’ 
by J, B. Badly. 
“The Red-headed Shrike is abundant in Switzerland and Savoy during the four most beautiful months of 
the year. Towards the 20th or 25th of April it is seen in pairs on the outskirts of the woods on our hills, 
and in other places furnished with underwood, in the woods of chestnut- and walnut-trees, in the poplars and 
willows which border the roads and fields, in the midst of fields planted with trees, and, lastly, in parks and 
orchards. It is in these situations that it lives and breeds during the time it remains in our climate. It 
resorts to the large trees on the borders and in the midst of marshy ground for the purpose of nidification, 
and towards the end of July betakes itself to the marshes in company with Lanius minor, and continues to asso- 
ciate with that species until they depart. Both sexes assist in constructing the nest, taking it in turns to bring 
and employ the materials — the male bringing them, and the female disposing of them, and vice versa. Tlie 
nest is attached by means of stringy plants to the branches of trees or underwood, and is outwardly composed 
of lichens, roots, mosses, and small twigs compactly hound together with fibrous filaments ; the interior is 
composed of bits of Axry fine plants and morsels of avooI. ToAvards the 15th of May the female deposits 
four or five eggs, of a light-greenish white, spriidded with various-sized spots of greyish ash-colour, par- 
ticularly at the larger end, where they form a zone. While sitting, the female is carefully attended by her 
mate, Avho brings her Avorms, small reptiles, and occasionally a heakful of insects. She sits with so much 
assiduity as to allow herself to be taken by the hand. Tavo days after the hatching, the parents may be 
seen feeding their young ones with worms, small slugs, smooth and hairy caterjiillars. One of the parents 
keeps them warm under its wings until the other undertakes the same duty. Their constant goings and 
comings, as Avell as their Avant of suspicion, during this epoch, are often the cause of their progeny 
becoming the prey of hirdsnesters, shepherds especially ; these last, indeed, are in the habit of marking, 
during the nesting-season, all the trees and bushes Avhere they may see these birds stop. After the young- 
have left the nest, the male and the female still consort Avith their family until their migration, Avhich 
commences about the 25th of August for the more adA-anced flocks, and from the 1st to the 15th of 
September for the others. Before this period, families not yet disunited are seen folloAAang one another 
in short flights over the hedges and trees which border the roads, streams, or fields — perching from time 
to time on the summits of the dead or more isolated branches, from Avhich they utter their harsh and 
short cries. They wage Avar Avith beetles, caterpillars, frogs, small lizards, mice, and occasionally weakly 
birds. When tliese kinds of food are wanting, they have recourse to fruits, especially to those of the small 
cherry, plum, mulberry, and fig trees.” 
Having a number of specimens of this bird uoav before me from various countries Avide apart, I cannot but 
notice that they differ considerably in size, and to some extent in their markings — those from Tangier being 
very much smaller than the examples from Smyrna, Trebizond, and Italy, having the band crossing the fore- 
head much narroAver, and the white of the lores more extensive. The depth of the buff colouring of the 
flanks differs greatly in all of them, probably in consequence of their having been more or less exposed to the 
influence of light. In freshly-moulted birds the huffy hue shoAvs very conspicuously, but Avould seem to be 
evanescent. 
In the male, the lores are creamy Avhite ; band across the forehead, line above and below the eye, and a 
broad mark posterior to it doAAm the side of the neck black ; behind the eye a narroAV mark of Avhite ; croAvn 
of the head, nape, and back of the neck i-ich reddish chestnut ; upper part of the back or mantle black, each 
feather slightly edged Avith rufous ; scapularies w-hite ; loAA^er part of the hack grey ; rump and upper tail- 
coverts white ; AAungs brown, the coverts narrowly edged Avith pale broAvn ; at the base of the primaries a 
patch of white ; secondaries narroudy edged and more broadly tipped Avith white ; under surface creamy 
Avhite, washed with huff on the flanks ; central tail-feathers black ; the lateral feathers Avhite at the base, 
crossed near the tip by a broad oblique mark of black, Avhich occupies the inner Aveb only of the outer feather, 
the exterior web of that feather and the tips of all the lateral ones being white ; irides hazel ; bill, legs, and 
feet black. 
“ When the young quit the nest,” says M. Badly, “ about the end of August, they may be recognized by 
the dusky red of the upper parts, Avith the exception of the bead, AvhIch is adorned with a mixture of Avhite 
and grey, and the rump, which is marked with broAvn ; the under surface dirty white, Avith crescents of grey. 
After their first moult, the upper part of the head, the neck, and the scapularies are varied Avith Avhite, red, 
broAAm, and black; the back is hroAvn ; the rump greyish white, transAmrsely rayed Avith a blackish colour; 
the AAdiite of the Aving is shaded Avith russet; and the primaries are broAvn, tipped with AvhIte or reddish.” 
The Plate represents a male and a female of the size of life. 
