THE GREAT GRAY SHRIKE. 
635 
the breeding season it is still more watchful, and does 
not permit any bird of prey, frequenting its domain, to 
pass unpunished, neither will it allow another individual 
of the same species to intrude on its beat. Its flight is 
neither rapid nor lasting, but active and intricate, so that 
it can generally manage to make good its escape from the 
clutches of any Goshawk or Sparrowhawk which may 
seek to punish its temerity. 
On fine winter days, and still more so at the approach of 
spring, this bird gives utterance to the first dawn of love in 
its curious song. This, as we have already said, is mainly 
stolen property, for the bird’s own notes more resemble 
a twittering than a song, though they do not sound 
amiss, because they are often intermingled with the 
call-note “trouii.” The stolen portions are mostly taken 
from the strains of the Skylark, Whitethroat, Great Tit, 
Goldfinch, and Swallow, though the scamp cares but 
little what song it is, provided he can pick it up. The 
Gray Shrike imitates these tones with extraordinary 
accuracy, but renders them with less volume and force 
than the Warblers themselves, from whom it has learnt 
them. While singing it jerks its tail, which, however, is 
the way it gives expression to every kind of passionate 
excitement. The female also sings these stolen odds and 
ends, though in an inferior style. 
The nest is commenced in the beginning of April, and 
is situated in copses or thickets,—never in the depths of 
a wood,—on the top of some thickly-leaved tree of 
moderate height; from the outside it looks loose and 
slovenly, but the interior is beautifully lined with small 
twigs, grass-stalks, haulm, and heath-grass; the eggs, num¬ 
bering from four to six, are laid at the end of April; they 
are rather large, dirty white or greenish gray in colour, 
4 p 
