“The little Shrike had a great mind to fight for his penates, and twice made a vehement demonstration of attack; but his heart failed him, and he retreated to a neighbouring mango branch, whence a few minutes after we saw him making short dashes after his insect prey, apparently oblivious of the domestic calamity that had so recently befallen him.”

Mr. F.R.  Blewitt, then at Gurhi Hursroo, near Delhi, sent me some years ago the following interesting note:—­

“Breeds from March to at least the middle of August.  It builds its nest in low trees and high hedgerows, preferring the former.

“In shape the nest is circular, with a diameter, outside, of from 51/2 to 61/2 inches, and from 1.5 to 2 in thickness.

“For the exterior framework thorny twigs, old rags, hemp, thread-pieces, and coarse grass are more or less used, and compactly worked together.  The egg-cavity is deep and cup-shaped, lined with fine grass and khus; pieces of rag or cotton are sometimes worked up with the former.

“Five to six is the regular number of eggs.  In colour they are a light greenish white, with blotches and spots generally of a light, but sometimes of a darker, reddish brown.  The spots and blotches vary much in size, and they are mostly confined to the broad end of the eggs.

“I had frequently noticed on a tree in the garden an old Shrike’s nest.  It was in the beginning of May that a male bird suddenly made his appearance and established himself in the garden, and morning and evening without fail did he sit and alternately chatter and warble away for hours.  His perfect imitation of the notes of other birds was remarkable.

“In the beginning of June his singing suddenly ceased, the secret of which I soon discovered.  He had secured a mate, and daily did I watch for the nest, which I thought they would prepare.  Late on the evening of the 23rd June, happening to look up at the old nest, to my surprise I found it occupied by the female, the male the while sitting on a branch near her.  Next morning on searching the nest I found four eggs.  Whether this nest was prepared the year previous by these birds or by another pair I cannot tell.

“That day, the day of the robbery, the female disappeared.  The male followed next day, but only to return after two or three days and recommence with renewed energy his chattering and warbling.  This he continued daily till near the end of July, when, as before, he suddenly ceased to sing.  I then found that he had again secured a mate, whether the old female or a new bride I am not certain; they soon set about making a nest on a neighbouring tree, very cunningly, as I thought, selected; and now the young birds reared are nearly full-fledged.  An old nest, evidently of last year’s make, was brought me the other day with five eggs, but the lining, as by the way was done in the one in the garden, had been wholly removed and new grass and khus substituted.”