. Birds of Britain . n in our southern and south-eastern countiesand in Wales during the summer months. In the northerncounties its appearances are irregular, and on one occasiononly has it been seen in Ireland. One can somehow feel but little affection for this finebut cruel bird; it is not his fault to be in that stage ofevolution in which as an insect-feeder he aims at higherprey than that with which he is successfully able to and pugnacious, he sits on the top of some thick haw-thorn hedge, dashing down from his point of observation onsome mouse, bird, or lizard nearly as large a
. Birds of Britain . n in our southern and south-eastern countiesand in Wales during the summer months. In the northerncounties its appearances are irregular, and on one occasiononly has it been seen in Ireland. One can somehow feel but little affection for this finebut cruel bird; it is not his fault to be in that stage ofevolution in which as an insect-feeder he aims at higherprey than that with which he is successfully able to and pugnacious, he sits on the top of some thick haw-thorn hedge, dashing down from his point of observation onsome mouse, bird, or lizard nearly as large as himself. After a tussle the hapless victim is carried off andimpaled on a thorn near its captors nest, to be eaten at afuture time; it is these larders of impaled victims that haveearned for him the name of Butcher Bird. Beetles, bees,and insects of all kinds are also included in his menu, andyoung half-fledged birds are considered a great delicacy 102 RED-BACKED SHRIKE Lanius collurio Adult male, female, and young. The Red-backed Shrike The nest is a large and loose structure of twigs, roots, andmoss; it is lined with hair and wool, and placed abouteight or ten feet from the ground in a thick hawthorn eggs are usually of a pale green colour, with a zone orband of olive brown mottlings round the larger end. Insome districts a variety is found in which the ground colouris pinkish and the markings reddish brown. The Shrikehas no song, but makes a great variety of harsh noises andchucklings as it sits on its post of vantage, bending downand flirting his tail at the same time. The call-note is aharsh chack. Like the Swift, Cuckoo, and several otherspecies, he does not stay with us long, but having reared hisbrood, the whole family wander south, and soon leave ourshores. The adult male has the crown, nape, and upper tailcoverts grey ; frontal band, lores, and ear coverts black;back chestnut; tail feathers black, all except the centralpair with white bases; under parts ro
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