GREY SHRIKE.
Y CIGYDD MAWR, IN ANCIENT BRITISH.
GREAT SHRIKE. GREAT GREY SHRIKE. ASH-COLOURED SHRIKE.
GREY-BACKED SHRIKE. CINEREOUS SHRIKE.
GREATER BUTCHER BIRD. MURDERING PIE. MOUNTAIN PIE. SHRIKE.
SHREEK. MATTAGESS. HORSEMATCH.
Lanius excubitor, LiNNAEus. PENNANT. MONTAGU. BEWICK. Lanius—A butcher. Excubitor—A sentinel.

The uncertainty even of Swainson himself as to the distinctness of the supposed species he has described under the name of 'Lanius excubitorides,' and the still farther uncertainty as to whether that variety or species, if it be either the one or the other, has been met with in England, obliges me to omit it from the 'British Birds.'
The bird before us is found in Denmark, Russia, Norway, Sweden, Lapland, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Holland, Belgium, and other countries of Europe, even in Iceland, as also in all the temperate parts of North America. In England specimens have been procured in Yorkshire, one on the 18th. of April, 1849, one at Burnby, near Nunburnholme, in 1858, in the winter; several near Doncaster, York, Sheffield, and Huddersfield, one at Barnsley, one at Wensley, near Middleham, November, 16th., 1883, of which the Hon. W. Orde-Powlett has written me word. One near Burlington, and also one at Eillington, in January, 1873. In Oxfordshire, two or three near Banbury; Cumberland, Northumberland, Durham, Norfolk, Suffolk, as at Woodbridge, etc, Cambridgeshire, one a male, 21st. of November, 1856, Worcestershire, Dorsetshire, Devonshire, Wiltshire, Sussex, Surrey, Cheshire, one at Northwich, November 7th., 1868, also in the county previously, Essex, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Bedfordshire, Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, Somersetshire, and Kent, one near Dover, in 1846. One near Shrewsbury, Shropshire, in November, 1853, of which Mr. W. Franklin has written me word. In the county of Lincoln also, near Alford and Tetney. In Cornwall, a pair at Pennance; one or two others on record. In Nottinghamshire, one was found, slightly injured, on the railway, near Newark, in January, 1876, and was kept for some time by the Eev. H. Fiennes Clinton, Rector of the Parish, who obligingly sent it me. I had thus an excellent opportunity of observing its habits.
In Ireland, in the counties of Down, Antrim, Sligo, Londonderry, Westmeath, Dublin, Tipperary, Waterford, Cork, and the Queen's County. A few have been met with in Scotland, in Caithness, etc
In the Orkney and Shetland Islands it has hitherto been 'non inventus.' Since I thus wrote it has been observed in both. Also in Wales.
This species is sufficiently scarce in this country to make it a valuable addition to a collection, and at the same time not so extremely rare as to render its acquisition almost hopeless.
It frequents groves and forests, well-wooded hedgerows and parks in summer for the purpose of breeding, and more open districts in the winter. During migration it may be seen perched upon some hillock, or hovering in the air, and descending in pursuit of its prey when discovered within reach. It is usually met with here in the winter months, but has been seen in summer time near Lee in Kent; in Essex twice, and a pair together in a fir plantation in Northumberland, in 1831. The only time that I have myself ever seen the bird alive was in a small coppice about four miles south-west of Worcester; a pair were together, and I am nearly sure that it was in the middle of summer.
These birds may be readily tamed, even if captured when adult, and will come to a call. When in confinement they follow out their natural bent, adapted to the circumstances they are in, affixing their prey between the wires of the cage, doing so from evident choice that they may pull it from between them, and leaving it there when they do not require it for immediate consumption. 'This bird,' says Yarrell, 'is used by falconers abroad during autumn and winter when trapping Falcons. The Shrike is fastened to the ground, and, by screaming loudly, gives notice to the falconer, who is concealed, of the approach of a Hawk. It was on this account, therefore, called 'excubitor'—the sentinel.' Mr. Knapp, however, the author of the excellent 'Journal of a Naturalist,' says that the name was appropriately given to it by Linnaeus, from its seldom concealing itself in a bush, but sitting perched on some upper spray, in an open situation, heedful of danger, or watching for its prey. Rennie relates that in Russia it is trained to catch small birds, and is valued for its destruction of rats and mice. It is a very courageous bird, attacking fearlessly those that are much its superiors in size, even the Eagle, it is said, and will not allow a Hawk, Crow, or Magpie to approach its nest with impunity. One has been taken in the act of pouncing on the decoy bird of a fowler, 'who,' says Bishop Stanley, 'having kept it awhile in confinement, was soon glad to get rid of it, as the sound of its voice at once hushed to silence the notes of his choir of birds. Their antipathy, when at large, is shewn at times by chasing and teasing it in concert, as they do an Owl, though at other times they surround him without any apparent fear.' Montagu, who kept several, found that at the end of two months they lose the affection for each other which they seem to exhibit in the wild state, and quarrel and fight even till one is slain. Civilization it would appear, among birds as among men, has its concomitant evils as well as advantages. 'I was almost in despair for many days,' says some traveller in an uninhabited region, 'but at length to my great joy I espied a gibbet—then I knew at once that I was coming to a civilized country.'
The flight of this species is interrupted and irregular. When perched, the tail is in constant motion.
Its food consists of shrew and other mice, small birds, and occasionally even partridges, fieldfares, and other larger ones, reptiles, such as lizards and frogs, as also the larger insects and grasshoppers: they are said to resort to the same thorn on which to fasten their capture, after first killing it. In carrying a mouse or a bird some distance they have been seen to shift it alternately from the bill to the mouth, as an alleviation of the weight.
In the spring they are noisy. "It is said that they imitate the notes of small birds for the purpose of luring them to their destruction, but I cannot myself entertain this supposition. One of their notes resembles that of the Kestrel, and it changes 'ad libitum' from the 'forte' to the 'piano.' Meyer says, 'the call of this Shrike sounds like the words 'shack, shack' and 'truewee' is one of its spring notes: it is also said to sing very pleasingly a sort of warbling song.' Mr. Knapp observes that these birds breed annually near his residence, in the neighbourhood of Thornbury, I believe, in Gloucestershire; and my friend the Rev. N. Constantine Strickland, at the foot of the Prestbury hills, near Cheltenham. Lewin too has said that he had seen them in Wiltshire, and had no doubt of their breeding there.
While the hen is sitting, the male is very vociferous if any one approaches the nest, and when the young are hatched, both exhibit a clamorous anxiety which often defeats their object, and betrays their callow brood to the callous bird-nester. The young indeed themselves join in the untoward imprudence.
The nest is built in trees, hedges, or bushes, some height above the ground. It is large and ill concealed, but well put together, and is composed of grass, hay, small roots, stalks, and moss, and lined with wool, feathers, or down, or finer parts of the outside materials.
The eggs are four or five, and sometimes it is said as many as six or seven in number. They are of a greyish, bluish, or yellowish white ground colour, spotted at the thicker end with different shades of greenish, olive green, dull lilac, grey, and light brown, forming an irregular band, at the larger end—the character of the eggs of all the Shrikes, but sometimes spread over the greater part of the shell.
Male; weight, a little above two ounces; length, from nine to ten inches; the upper bill is bluish black at the base, and there is a strong projection near its point, which is much hooked; the lower one yellowish brown at the base, brownish black at the tip; a black streak runs from it to the eye, and a narrower one under the eye: over the former is a streak of white, which runs into the grey of the nape, widening into an oval patch over the ear; iris, dark brown; bristles cover the nostrils; forehead, dull white; head, crown, neck, and nape, light ash grey; chin, throat, and breast, white; back, light ash grey.
The wings, short—they expand to the width of one foot two or three inches; greater and lesser wing coverts, ash grey; primaries, black, white at the base, shewing when the wing is closed, either one or two white spots, according as the upper one is or is not hid by the superincumbent feathers; the first is only half as long as the second, which is nearly as long as the sixth; the third, fourth, and fifth, nearly equal, and longer than the second; the two former the longest in the wing: underneath, they are slate-coloured. Secondaries, black, white at the base, and also tipped with white; tertiaries, black tipped with white; this white wears off towards the end of summer; greater and lesser under wing coverts, white. The tail, wedge-shaped, of twelve feathers, has the four central ones purple black, the next side feather obliquely tipped with white, the next one fourth, the next one third, and the outer one almost wholly white; underneath, the markings are the same, but less clear; tail coverts, light ash grey; legs, toes, and claws, black.
The female resembles the male, but the colours are more dull, the blue grey assuming a brownish tint; and the breast is marked with numerous semicircular greyish lines. The young males resemble the females, but both are duller in colour like her, the double white spot on the wing being also less shewn.
Temminck mentions a variety nearly pure white, the black parts slightly tinged with grey; another is described entirely white, with a tinge of rich yellow. Very old birds shew indications of bars on the tail.

"Poor bird, though harsh thy note, I love it well."
GRAHAME.