Lanius erythronotus (_Vig._); _Jerd. B. Ind._ i, p. 402.
Collyrio erythronotus, _Vigors, Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._ no. 257.
Collyrio caniceps[A] (_Blyth_), _Hume, Rough Draft N. & E._
no. 257 bis.
[Footnote A: Mr. Hume may probably still consider _L. caniceps_
separable from _L. erythronotus_. I therefore keep the notes on the
two races distinct as they appeared in the 'Rough Draft,' merely
adding a few later notes.--ED.]
_Lanius erythronotus_.
The Rufous-backed Shrike lays from March to August; the first half of
this period being that in which the majority of these birds lay in
the Himalayas, which they ascend to elevations of 6000 feet: and the
latter half being that in which we find most eggs in the plains; but
in both hills and plains some eggs may be found throughout the whole
period above indicated.
The nests of this species are almost invariably placed on forks of
trees or of their branches at no great height from the ground; indeed,
of all the many nests that I have myself taken, I do not think that
one was above 15 feet from the ground. By preference they build, I
think, in thorny trees, the various species of acacia, so common
throughout the plains of India, being apparently their favourite
nesting-haunts, but I have found them breeding on toon (_Cedrela
toona_) and other trees. Internally the nest is always a deep cup,
from 3 to 3¼ inches in diameter, and from 1¾ to 2-1/8 deep. The cavity
is always circular and regular, and lined with fine grass. Externally
the nests vary greatly; they are always massive, but some are compact
and of moderate dimensions externally, say not exceeding 5½ inches in
diameter, while others are loose and straggling, with a diameter of
fully 8 inches. Grass-stems, fine twigs, cotton-wool, old rags, dead
leaves, pieces of snake's skin, and all kinds of odds and ends are
incorporated in the structure, which is generally more or less
strongly bound together by fine tow-like vegetable fibre. Some nests
indeed are so closely put together that they might almost be rolled
about without injury, while others again are so loose that it is
scarcely possible to move them from the fork in which they are wedged
without pulling them to pieces.
I have innumerable notes about the nests of this Shrike, of which I
reproduce two or three.
"_Etawah, March 18th_.--The nest was on a babool tree, some 10 feet
from the ground, on one of the outside branches; an exterior framework
of very thorny babool twigs, and within a very warm deep circular nest
made almost entirely of sun (_Crotalaria juncea_) fibre, a sort of
fine tow, and flocks of cotton-wool, there being fully as much of this
latter as of the former; a few fine grass-stems are interwoven; there
are a few human and a few sleep's wool hairs at the bottom as a sort
of lining. The cavity of the nest is about 3 inches in diameter by 2
deep, and the side walls and bottom are from 1½ to 2 inches thick."
"_Bareilly, May 27th_, 1867.--Found a nest containing two fresh eggs.
The nest was in a small mango tree, rather massive, nearly 2 inches in
thickness at the sides and 3 inches thick at the bottom. It was rather
stoutly and closely put together, though externally very ragged. The
interior neatly made of fine grass-stems, the exterior of coarser
grass-stems and roots, with a quantity of cotton-wool, rags, tow
string and thread intermingled. The cavity was oval, about 3½ by 3
inches and 2 inches deep."
"_Agra, August 21st_.--Mr. Munro sent in from Bitchpoorie a beautiful
nest which he took from the fork of a mango tree about 40 feet from
the ground, a very compact and massive cup-shaped nest, not very
deep."
Mr. F.R. 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 lahtora_; but
judging from the half-dozen or so I have seen, _L. erythronotus_
certainly displays more skill and ingenuity in preparing its nest,
which in structure is more neat and compact than that of _L. lahtora_.
In shape it is circular, ordinarily varying from 5½ to 7 inches in
diameter, and from 2 to 2½ inches in thickness. Hemp, old rags, and
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.
Five appears to be the regular number of eggs; but on this score I
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 submission and
capture. Singular how partial they are to raw meat, and more singular
to see the expert way in which they catch up the meat 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,
and 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 breeding
in the neighbourhood of Pind Dadan Khan and Kaias in the Salt
Range:--'"Lay in May; eggs five to six; shape blunt, ovato-pyriform;
size varies from 0·88 to 0·93 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, &c., 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 28th 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 2½ 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 Notgurh. The nest was in a tuhar tree and was composed
externally of grass-seed ears, internally of finer grass; a very
different-looking nest from any I have elsewhere seen, but he
forwarded the bird and eggs, so that there could be no mistake.
From Murree, Colonel C.H.T. Marshall writes:--"Found numerous nests in
the valleys in May and June, between 4000 and 5000 feet up."
From four to six eggs are laid, and in regard to this Shrike I have
had no reason to think that it rears more than one brood in the year.
Major Wardlaw Ramsay say says, writing of Afghanistan:--"I found a
great many nests in May and June. The first (27th May) was situated in
the centre of a dense thorny creeper, and contained six eggs, white,
faintly washed with pale green, and spotted and blotched with purplish
stone-colour and pale brown. The nest was composed of green grass,
moss, cotton-wool, thistle-down, rags, cows' hair, mules' hair, shreds
of juniper-bark, &c., &c. Other nests were found in willows by the
river-bank and in apricot-trees. In a large orchard at Shalofyan,
in the Kurrum valley, I found three nests within a few yards of one
another."
Major C.T. Bingham writes:--"I have only found one nest of this
Shrike, which is, however, common enough both at Allahabad and at
Delhi. This nest I found on the 3rd June in the Nicholson gardens at
Delhi. It was placed high up in the fork of a babool tree, and though
more straggling and loosely built was very like that of _L. lahtora_;
the two eggs it contained, except that they are a trifle smaller, are
very like those of _L. lahtora_"
Colonel Butler has furnished me with the following note:--The
Rufous-backed Shrike commences nidification at Mt. Aboo about the end
of May. I took a nest on the 11th June containing five fresh eggs. It
was placed in the fork of one of the outer branches of a mango-tree
about 15 feet, from the ground. The hen bird sat very close, allowing
the native I sent up the tree to put his hand almost on to her
back before she moved, and then she only flew to a bough close by,
remaining there chattering and scolding angrily the whole time the
nest was being robbed. The nest, which is coarse and somewhat large
for the size of the bird, is composed externally of dry grass-roots,
twigs, rags, raw cotton, string, and other miscellaneous articles
all woven together. The interior is neatly lined with dry grass and
horsehair. The eggs, five in number, are of a pale greenish-white
colour, spotted all over with olivaceous inky-brown spots and specks,
increasing in size and forming a zone at the large end. They vary much
in shape, some being pyriform, and others blunt and similar in shape
at both ends. I took another nest on the 19th June near the same
place containing five fresh eggs, similar in every respect to the one
already described, except that it was built on a thorn-tree about 10
feet from the ground. I took a nest at Deesa on the 8th July, 1875,
containing four fresh eggs; these eggs are smaller and rounder than
those from Aboo, and the blotches are larger and more distinct. The
same pair of birds built another nest a few days later, on 18th July,
within ten yards of the tree from which the other nest was taken,
laying five eggs.
"I found other nests at Deesa on the following dates:--
"July 2nd. A nest containing 4 incubated eggs.
" 7th. " " 2 fresh eggs.
" 8th. " " 4 "
" 9th. " " 2 "
" 10th. " " 5 "
" 10th. " " 4 "
Aug. 9th. " " 3 "
"I found many other nests in the same neighbourhood containing young
birds during the last week of July."
Regarding the Rufous-backed Shrike, Mr. Benjamin Aitken has sent me
the subjoined interesting note:--"This Shrike makes its appearance in
Bombay regularly during the last week of September, and announces its
arrival by loud cries for the first few days, till it has made itself
at home in the new neighbourhood; after which it spends nearly the
whole of its days on a favourite perch, darting down on every insect
that appears within a radius of thirty yards. It pursues this
occupation with a system and perseverance to which _L. lahtora_ makes
but a small approach. When its stomach is full, it enlivens the weary
hours with the nearest semblance to a song of which its vocal organs
are capable; for while many human bipeds have a good voice but no
ear, the _L. erythronotus_ has an excellent ear but a voice that no
modulation will make tolerable. It remains in Bombay till towards the
end of February, and then suddenly becomes restless and quarrelsome,
making as much ado as the _Koel_ in June, and then taking its
departure, for what part of the world I do not know. This I know, that
from March to August there is never a Rufous-backed Shrike in Bombay.
"The Rufous-backed Shrike, though not so large as the Grey Shrike, is
a much bolder and fiercer bird. It will come down at once to a cage of
small birds exposed at a window, and I once had an Amadavat killed and
partly eaten through the wires by one of these Shrikes, which I saw in
the act with my own eyes. The next day I caught the Shrike in a large
basket which I set over the cage of Amadavats. On another occasion I
exposed a rat in a cage for the purpose of attracting a Hawk, and in a
few minutes found a _L. erythronotus_ fiercely attacking the cage on
all sides. I once caught one alive and kept it for some time. As soon
as it found itself safely enclosed in the cage, it scorned to show any
fear, and the third day took food from my hand. It was very fond of
bathing, and was a handsome and interesting pet."
Messrs. Davidson and Wenden remark:--"Very common in Satara; breeding
freely in beginning of the rains; observed at Lanoli. Bare in the
Sholapoor District and does not appear to breed there." And the former
gentleman, writing of Western Khandeish, says:--"A few pairs breed
about Dhulia in June and July."
Mr. C.J.W. Taylor records the following note from Manzeerabad in
Mysore:--"Plentiful all over the district. Breeding in May; eggs taken
on the 7th."
I have so fully described the eggs of _L. lahtora_, of which the eggs
of this present species are almost miniatures, that I need say but
little in regard to these. On the whole, the markings in this species
are, I think, feebler and less numerous than in _L. lahtora_; and
though this would not strike one in the comparison of a few eggs in
each, it is apparent enough when several hundreds of each are laid
side by side, four or five abreast, in broad parallel rows. The
ground-colour, too, in the egg of _L. erythronotus_ has seldom, if
ever, as much green in it, and has commonly more of the pale creamy or
pinky stone-colour than in the case of _L. lahtora_.
In size the eggs of _L. erythronotus_ appear to approach those of
the English Red-backed Shrike, though they average perhaps somewhat
smaller.
In length they vary from 0·85 to 1·05 inch, and in breadth from 0·65
to 0·77 inch, but the average of more than one hundred eggs measured
is 0·92 by 0·71 inch.
_Lanius caniceps_.
This closely allied species, the Pale Rufous-backed Shrike, breeds
only, so far as I yet know, in the Nilghiris, Palanis, &c.
It lays from March to July, the majority, I think, breeding in June.
Its nest is very similar and is similarly placed to that of the
preceding, from which, if it differs at all, it only differs in being
somewhat smaller.
It lays from four to six eggs, slightly more elongated ovals than
those of _L. erythronotus_, taken as a body, but not, in my opinion,
separable from these when mixed with a large number.
Captain Hutton, however, does not concur in this: he remarks:--"This
species, which is very common in Afghanistan, occurs also in the Doon
and on the hills up to about 6000 feet. At Jeripanee I took a nest
on the 21st June containing five eggs, of a pale livid white colour,
sprinkled with brown spots, chiefly collected at the larger end,
where, however, they cannot be said to form a ring; interspersed with
these are other dull sepia spots appearing beneath the shell. Diameter
0·94 by 0·69 inch, or in some rather more. Shape rather tapering
ovate.
"The differences perceptible between this and the last are the much
smaller size of the spots and blotches, the latter, indeed, scarcely
existing, while in _L. erythronotus_ they are large and numerous;
there is great difference likewise in the shape of the egg, those of
the present species being less globular or more tapering. The nest was
found in a thick bush about 5 feet from the ground, and was far more
neatly made than that of the foregoing species; it is likewise less
deep internally. It was composed of the dry stalks of 'forget-me-not,'
compactly held together by the intermixture of a quantity of moss
interwoven with fine flax and seed-down, and lined with fine
grass-stalks. Internal diameter 3½ inches; external 6 inches; depth
1½ inch, forming a flattish cup, of which the sides are about 1½ inch
thick. The depth, therefore, is less by 1 inch than in that of the
last-mentioned nest."
Mr. H.R.P. Carter tells me that "at Coonoor, on the Nilghiris, this
species breeds in April and May, placing its nest in large shrubs,
orange-trees, and other low trees which are thick and leafy. The nest
is externally irregular in shape, and is composed of fibres and roots
mixed with cotton-wool and rags; in one nest I found a piece of lace,
6 or 8 inches long; internally it is a deep cup, some 4 inches in
diameter and 2 in depth. The eggs are sometimes three in number,
sometimes four."
Mr. Wait says that "the breeding-season extends from March to July in
the Nilghiris; the nest, cup-shaped and neatly built, is placed in low
trees, shrubs, and bushes, generally thorny ones; the outside of the
nest is chiefly composed of weeds (a white downy species is invariably
present), fibres, and hay, and it is lined with grass and hair; there
is often a good deal of earth built in, with roots and fibres in the
foundation of this nest; four appears to be the usual number of eggs
laid."
Miss Cockburn, from Kotagherry, also on the Nilghiris, tells me that
"the Pale Rufous-backed Shrike builds in the months of February and
March and forms a large nest, the foundation of which is occasionally
laid with large pieces of rags, or (as I have once or twice found)
pieces of carpet. To these they add sticks, moss, and fine grass as
a lining, and lay four eggs, which are white, but have a circle of
ash-coloured streaks and blotches at the thick end, resembling those
on Flycatchers' eggs. They are exceedingly watchful of their nests
while they contain eggs or young, and never go out of sight of the
bush which contains the precious abode."
Mr. Davison remarks that "this species builds in bushes or trees at
about 6 to 20 feet from the ground: a thorny thick bush is generally
preferred, _Berberis asiatica_ being a favourite. The nest is a large
deep cup-shaped structure, rather neatly made of grass, mingled with
odd pieces of rag, paper, &c., and lined with fine grass. The eggs,
four or five in number, are white, spotted with blackish brown,
chiefly at the thicker end, where the spots generally form a zone.
The usual breeding-season is May and the early part of June, though
sometimes nests are found in April and even as late as the last week
in June, by which time the south-west monsoon has generally burst on
the Nilghiris."
Dr. Fairbank writes:--"This bird lives through the year on the Palanis
and breeds there. I found a nest with five eggs when there in 1867,
but have not the notes then made about it."
Captain Horace Terry informs us that this Shrike is a most common bird
in the Palani hills, found everywhere and breeding freely.
Mr. H. Parker, writing from Ceylon, says:--"A pair of these Shrikes
reared three clutches of young in my compound (two of them out of
one nest) from December to May, inclusive; but this must be abnormal
breeding."
Colonel Legge writes in his 'Birds of Ceylon':--"This bird breeds in
the Jaffna district and on the north-west coast from February until
May. Mr. Holdsworth found its nest in a thorn-bush about 6 feet high,
near the compound of his bungalow, in the beginning of February....
Layard speaks of the young being fledged in June at Point Pedro, and
says that it builds in _Euphorbia_-trees in that district."
The eggs of this species, sent me by Captain Hutton from the Doon and
by numerous correspondents from the Nilghiris, are indistinguishable
from many types of _L. erythronotus_, and indeed the birds are so
closely allied that this was only to be expected. It is unnecessary
to describe these at length, as my description of the eggs of _L.
erythronotus_ applies equally to these.
In size the eggs, however, vary less and _average_ longer than those
of this latter species. In length they range from 0·93 to 1 inch, and
in breadth from 0·7 to 0·72 inch, but the average of twenty was 0·95
by 0·7 inch.