Butcher Bird. ■
Lanius Collurio, Linn. Syst. Nat., tom. i. p. 136.
twuffino&tis, Klein, Av., tom. v. f. 8.
spmitorqutt. Re chat. Naturg. Deutsch., vol. ii. p. 1336.
Enneoctonus CoUurv . Bcue, Isis, 1826, p. 973.
N e i t h e r Scotland nor Ireland can enumerate the Butcher Bird in their avifaunas; y e t in Ragland *W
bird is so common during the months of summer, that it may be found all over our southern and western
counties, from Cornwall to Yorkshire, wherever localities suited to its habits occur. In the last-mentioned
county, and the adjoining ones of Durham and Northumberland, it becomes more'scarce; and there is no
evidence of. its ever having crossed the border. On the continent o f Europe its range extends to Sweden
and Norway, in.which latter country I myself saw it, in Christiania Fjord, in June 1856. In these comparatively
northern climes, as in our own, and throughout all the eountries of Central Europe to the border*
of the Mediterranean, it is merely a summer visitant. Examples from the Crimea, the furthest east from
which 1 have seen it, were sent to Dr. Carte o f Dublin. Specimens collected in many parts of Afinca p ro v e
that it ranges widely over that continent. I t certainly occurs in Nubia, as I have seen examples which bad
been sent from thence; and there are others in the British Museum which I believe are from Mozambique.
H is not usual for any o f the northern passerine birds to cross the E quator; yet we are told by Dr. Smith that
it occurs still further south than the localities above mentioned, even to within the colony of the Cape.
It is not until the Hawthorn is in flower, and the grassy meadow bespangled with buttercups, that the
Butcher Bird, o r Red-backed Shrike, as it is also called, makes its appearance in England; before the tnrrry
tnonth o f May. therefore, it must not be looked tor. That some counties in England are more f in tW É k
if h e wishes to see the bird in a state o f nature: thick hedgerows, bordering the sides of lanes, and common
lands where cattle and horses are allowed by law to pasture are its favourite places of resort, as are al.so the
sides of low coppices on light soils suitable to insect life: woodland districts are less congenial to its habits,
and it is seldom o r ever seen in such situations. In its disposition it is tyrannical and cru el; for it will be
master o f the hedgerow, let what bird may .attempt to dispute its supremacy; and continual squabbles take
place between the aggrieved and the aggressor. At one moment the Butcher Bird may be seen driving
before it the weaker tenants of the hedge, while a t another a Magpie o r a Jay will call forth its ire, and
cause it, by scolding and other manifestations, to evince that the visit is an unpleasant one. On the
other hand, at his flrst coming the small birds assemble and mob him for a time; a t length, however,
some amicable arrangement appears to be entered into, after which they live a t peace. It is necessary,
nevertheless, for those that are breeding to be vigilant and careful of their young ; otherwise the-Shrike
nav resume its bad character, seize the nestling by the neck, fly to some covert o r bush, and tear it to
aeces with its powerful bill. This trait o f killing young birds, as well as mice and shrews, is, however,
• . piional: for its staple food is doubtless insects o f every kind and denomination, from the great
,>'.-¿i;. to the Rose-chafor, Grasshopper, and Dragon Fly. But a few days since I saw a Shrike pounce
wj) upon a great Lob-worm at my feet, as large and as long as the quill with which I am writing, and
■ • awn», dangling on each side o f bis body, to the branch of a tree, when his further operations
to view; perhaps the bird descended with it again to the ground, o r tore it to pieces and
... . tm Roate thorn in the neighbouring bush. This singular habit o f impaling the food is common,
rltt-rp, ro all the members of the genus,%ay to the whole family of the Shrikes; for I have seen
¡»fcene thing done hv a species o f an aberrant form, thé Crecticus destructor o f Australia. I f this be
'»ted by any one, and they should be desirous o f witnessing this feat of the Australian bird, they have
¡0 drive a sharp-pointed nail through the cage in which it is confined, when it will soon be seen to stick
,, -teat, or any o ther kind o f food, thereon. If there be a bare thorn at the end o f a hedge, or a small bush
, a ggjd ¡Q ¿he neighbourhood o f the sitnation where the Red-backed Shrike has taken up his quarters, the
..., ],mnches may frequently be seen studded with various objects—perhaps the head of a little bird, the
ftcvJed remains of a Shrew, a frog’s leg, snails, beetles, and other insects, particularly humble-bees. Such
eñbition however is not always to be met with ; still, now and'then it may b e ; I have seen it myself
M thau once and I am sure that most country-people have also. The end and -object o f this Shrike’s
U’-fti 1 am unable to say: the thorns arc often too weak to be o f any assistance to the bird in tearing the