is about eight inches long, three of which comprise the tail, to almost the end of which the folded wings extend; the beak is nine lines long, brown at the base, and bright yellow at the point; the irides pale yellow, in winter sap green; the tarsi an inch and a half high; the claws blackish; the upper part of the body is light brown, with round white spots, those upon the scapulars and the back being the largest; the under part of the body is white, spotted with dark brown, intermixed with a rusty colour; the pinion feathers are dark brown, with round white spots; the tail light brown, with large round bright rust-coloured spots, which run together almost into bands.

The female is somewhat brighter in colour.

HABITAT.-This Owl, like most of the species, dwells in old buildings, towers, in church walls, and in hollow trees in fields, where the nest is also to be found. In the aviary this bird should never be allowed its liberty, or permitted to fly about where there are other birds, for it will certainly attack them. It is best to hang it out at the window in a large kind of wag-tail cage, so that it may be seen from within.

FOOD.-House and field mice, beetles, and grasshoppers, constitute their food. I have also found in their pellets-the indigested refuse of their food, ejected by birds of preymultitudes of the stones of the cornus sanguinea, which they must consequently also eat. Both young and old may be kept easily for many years upon dried mutton, from which the skin, bones, and fat have been separated, two days before it is used. The mutton should be soaked in water. This kind of food checks the otherwise offensive odour of their fæces. One bird will consume daily an ounce and a half of dried flesh, and occasionally mice or birds; the latter he devours, pinions, feathers, and all. He can eat five mice at a meal, and may be fed from two in the afternoon, after which hour he becomes quite animated

BREEDING.-The nest is formed in the fissures of walls, and also in hollow trees in woods. The female lays, even in confinement, a couple of round white eggs. The young are easily reared upon fresh flesh, especially that of pigeons. Before their first moulting, instead of their light brown prevailing colour, they are reddish grey; woolly on the head, and slightly clouded; the large round white spots upon the back are distinctly indicated, and the reddish white under part of the body has narrow grey longitudinal stripes upon the breast and sides.

MALADIES-If they are not occasionally supplied with mice and small birds, the hair and feathers of which cleanse the crop, they die of atrophy.

CAPTURE.—If their place of resort be known, it is only necessary to hang a bag-net before it; they are sure to be caught at twilight when they fly abroad.

COMMENDATORY QUALITIES.-This is a very cleanly bird, placing their fæces all upon one spot. Their strange grimaces are very amusing, and it is to be regretted that their shriek and their restlessness at pairing time are somewhat annoying.

This Owl is rare in Britain, although instances are mentioned of its occurrence. Like others of the tribe, it haunts old houses and deserted ruins, feeding on mice, small birds, and insects. The female lays two eggs, on which she sits alternately with the male till hatched; and British authors speak of its thriving well in confinement. Its ordinary cry, which it repeats flying, is "Poupou, poupou ;" but when it settles down it emits a louder and clearer cry, like "Aîme, hême, êsmi.”

SUCH is the name given to this tribe; they have a somewhat compressed, more or less curved beak, convex above, usually of the shape of a knife, and of moderate size, but short; generally strong, widely spread feet, adapted partly for climbing and partly for walking. Their food consists of insects, worms, the flesh and refuse of other animals, and also of seeds and fruits. A few delight us with their song; the majority by their capability of articulating sounds, and by their beautiful colours. Bechstein includes in this section Ravens, Rooks, and some others, which, though occasionally treated as pet birds, can scarcely be called chamber or cage birds. These are omitted in this edition.

LANIUS EXCUBITOR. Linn.-PIE-GRIECHE GRISE. Buff. Ois.-CINEREOUS SHRIKE. Mont. Orn. Dict.-GREAT CINEREOUS SHRIKE. LANIUS EXCUBITOR. Selb. Illustr.-DER GEMEINER WURGER. Bech. DESCRIPTION. —As large as the Red-wing Thrush but somewhat longer, being about nine inches long, of which the tail occupies three and three-fourths, and the beak eight lines. The folded wings extend to one-third the length of the tail. The beak, as in all the Shrikes, is straight at the base, slightly curved at the point, and furnished with a small tooth; it is black, and at the base beneath, yellowish-white; the irides are black-brown; the feet black one inch high; the whole of the upper part of the body is of a beautiful bright ashygrey, the rump, above the eyes, on the forehead, and on the shoulders, merging into whitish; from the nostrils a broad black stripe extends, passing through the eyes beyond the white temples; the under part of the body is white, with evanescent dark brown undulations, which are more distinct in the female than in the male, the large coverts of the wings are black, the smaller ones ashy-grey; the pinion feathers black and white at the base and apex, which thus form upon the wings two white spots; the wedge-shaped tail has the terminal feather white, and the middle one rather black.

HABITAT.-It remains in Germany both summer and winter, and inhabits small coppices and the skirting woods of large forests; it is also found in fields where there are bushes and solitary trees. It sits always upon the summit of the tree. It is very courageous and predatory, therefore cannot be allowed to occupy freely the same apartments with other birds; but is best placed in a large wire cage.

FOOD.-In summer this Shrike generally feeds upon beetles, field and mole crickets, blind worms, lizards, and only devours mice and small birds when it cannot obtain these creatures. But in winter it will seize the Yellow Bunting, the Siskin, moles, &c. In flying down upon its prey it always makes a peculiar curve, to enable it to seize it at the side, but it is often obliged to content itself with a beak full of feathers from not being provided with talons like the other birds of prey. If captured when old it should be supplied with live birds, mice, beetles, and crickets; but will not feed whilst watched. When the first cravings of hunger are satisfied it will eat fresh meat; but it may be accustomed to the general food, particularly that made of roll crumbs. They eat a great deal at one time, in proportion to their size, two ounces of meat at the least. They like a perch with forked branches, or these may be placed transversely. They are also fond of bathing.

BREEDING.-The nest, which is made of heath, blades of grass, wool and hair interwoven, is found on the branches of trees, and the female lays from five to seven eggs, which at the obtuse end are often spotted with olive-green or violetgrey. When the young is removed it should be fed with raw flesh, which indeed is the best mode of taming all the butcher birds. It soon learns to take the food from the hand.

CAPTURE. This bird is caught on fowling-floors, and in gins, enticed by the call-bird placed beside them; also with birdlime placed on a branch, beneath which a nest of young birds is suspended; when the latter are hungry, and begin crying, the Butcher-bird is speedily at hand. In autumn and winter he will dash at birds hanging in cages about windows. This may be made the means of his capture if the cage be hung in one of the traps, where, by means of the fall, as soon as he pounces upon the door of the cage the trap