320
Mr. F. E. Blewitt records the following note :—
" Breeds from March to August, on low trees, and, as would
'appear, without preference for any one kind.
" The nest in shape much resembles that of Lanius lalitom ; hut
judging from the half-dozen or so I have seen, L. erytlironotus cer-
tainly displays more skill and ingenuity in preparing its nest,
which in structure is more neat and compact than that of L. la/itora.
In shape it is circular, ordinarily varying from 5| to 7 inches iu
diameter, and from 2 to 2 j inches in thickness. Hemp, old rags,
aud thorny twigs are freely used in the formation of the outer
portion of the nest, but the Shrike shows a decided predilection
for the former. In one nest I observed the cast skin of a snake
worked in with the outer materials ; in two others some kind of
vegetable fibre was used to bind and secure the thorn twigs, and one
had the margin made of fine neem-tree twigs and leaves. The egg-
cavity is deeply cup-shaped, from 3 to 4 inches in diameter, and
lined usually with fine grass. Pive appears to be the regular num-
ber of eggs ; but on this score 1 cannot be very certain, seeing that
my experience is confined to some half-dozen or so of nests.
" I have recently reared three young birds, and it is very amusing
to witness their many antics, shrewdness, and intelligence. They
are very tame, flying in and out of the bungalow at pleasure;
when irritated, which is rather a failing with them, they show
every sign of resentment. If one is inclined to be rebellious, not
coming to call, the show of a piece of meat at once secures its sub-
mission and capture. Singular how partial they are to raw meat,
and more singular to see the expert way in which they catch up
the ineat with the claws of either leg, and hold it from them while
they devour it piecemeal. I saw the other evening an old bird
pounce on a field-mouse, kill it, aud then bring and cleverly fix
the victim firmly between the two forks of a branch and pull it in
pieces. It consumed but a part- of the mouse."
Mr. ~W. Theobald makes the following note on this bird's breed-
ing in the neighbourhood of Pind Dadan Khan and Xatas in the
Salt Eange :—^uLay in May ; eggs five to six; shape blunt, ovato-
pyriforrn ; size varies from OSS to O93 of an inch in length, and
from 0*68 to 0*81 of an inch in breadth. Colour white or pale
greenish white, slightly ringed and spotted with yellowish grey
and neutral tint. Nest of roots, coarse grass, rags, cotton, <fee.,
lined with fine grass, and placed in forks of trees."
Captain Hutton, who recognizes the distinctions between this
species and L. caniceps, says :—
" This is an abundant species in the Doon, but is found also
within the mountains up to about 5000 feet. In the Doon I took
a nest on the 2Sth June containing four eggs. It is composed of
grass and fine stalks of small plants roughly put together, bits of
rag, shreds of fine bark, and lined with very fine grass-seed stalks;
internal diameter 3 inches, external 6 inches ; depth 2| inches."
Sir E. C. Buck notes having taken a nest containing four hard-
set eggs on the 22nd of June, far in the interior of the Himalayas,
at Niratu, north-east of Xotgurh. The nest was in a tuhar tree.