A pocket-book of British birds / by E.F.M. Elms.

  • Elms, E. F. M.
Date:
1906
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: A pocket-book of British birds / by E.F.M. Elms. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    either tears it to pieces like a hawk, or impales the writhing victim on stout thorns. Food.— Small birds and mammals, lizards, frogs, insects, beetles, and grasshoppers. Nidification.—Breeds in Europe. BED-BACKED SHRIKE (Lanins collurio). Migrant; April to September. Common enough in certain localities; most abundant in southern counties, except Corn- wall ; rarer towards the north ; rare in Ireland. Haunts.—Margins of woods, commons, and the like, where there are good thick hedges. Plumage.—Band passing from base of bill through eyes to lores black ; upper parts grey, except mantle, which is chestnut- brown. Wings dark brown, edged with chestnut. Two central tail-feathers black, the rest black at the end and white at the base; under parts buff suffused with rose. Bill and legs black. Length 7 in. Female: upper parts reddish brown, slightly barred; no black on head, and pale buff eye-stripe. Young almost similar to female. Language.—A great mimic, uttering notes like several other birds ; one note like a House Sparrow’s attempt at song. Call- note a harsh chirp. Alarm-note a harsh “ chaek.” Habits.—It resembles the other Shrikes in its raptorial habit of capturing its prey and spitting it on thorns near its nest (hence Butcher Bird). When perched at the top of some hedge or tree—like a sentinel—it utters its chattering notes and jerks its tail. Food.—Small birds, mammals, and reptiles; also bees, wasps, beetles, &c. Nest.—June. One brood only. Site.—In fork of thick hawthorn hedge, usually. Materials.—Stalks, roots, and moss, lined with bents, horse- hair, and occasionally some wool; nest rather large. Eggs.—Four to six. Dull pinky or buffy white, spotted or zoned with reddish and olive-brown, and purplish grey under- lying. Variable. Family AMPELIDJE. WAXWING (Ampelis garrulus). An irregular visitor, usually to the northern and eastern dis- tricts, often in considerable numbers. Plumage.—Frontal band, lores, and chin black. Forehead and crest chestnut-brown ; upper parts light greyish brown, shading into ash-grey towards rump. Wings black, tipped