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(Lanius rufus, Linn.—La Pie-gričche rousse, Buff.)
THE bill is dark, tinged with blue, notched at the tip, and beset with bristles at the base, where a small spot of dirty white partly extends from the nostrils to the eyes, which are hazel; the fore part of the head, over the eyes and auriculars, and a stripe falling down on the sides of the neck and joining the shoulder feathers, are black; the lesser coverts nearly the same: a patch of white is formed at the base of the primaries; the secondaries are tipt with dull white; the tail dusky; the coverts and rump the same, but mixed with white; the first three outside feathers are white at the base and tips, and the outside one, which is shorter than the rest, is white on the outer web. The throat, fore part of the neck, and the breast, are dingy white, the belly and vent the same, but partaking a little of dull yellow; the hinder part of the head and neck is bright reddish chesnut; the scapulars are white; the back dark ash: legs dark; claws curved and short.
At page 75 is given a figure of a Shrike, which, judging from that of Buffon, appears to be the female of the Woodchat; hence it may be concluded, that if the female is found in this country, so in all probability is the male also.
The foregoing figure of this very scarce bird, was taken from a fine specimen in the private collection of Mr Leadbeater.
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