they take possession of
fabrics clearly not the work of any Shrike. Quite recently I found a
pair of _L. lahtora_ with four eggs in a small nest entirely woven of
hemp, the bottom of which was thickly coated with the droppings of
former occupants. Again, on the 8th June, a nest with four eggs was
found on a roonj tree. This wonderful nest, which I have kept, is
entirely composed of what I take to be old felt and feathers, the
bottom of the cavity of which, when found, was almost covered with the
dung of young birds.

"Evidently this nest was not _originally_ made by the Shrike, but, as
would appear, was taken possession of by it, after the brood of some
other species of birds had left it."

Mr. W. Theobald makes the following note of this bird's breeding
in the neighbourhood of Pind Dadan Khan and Katas in the Salt
Range:--"Lays in the last week of March to the end of April. Eggs five
only, shape ovato-pyriform, size 1.06 inch by 0.8 inch; colour pale
greenish white, blotched and tinged with yellowish grey and neutral
markings; vary much in intensity and colour. Nest of twigs, lined with
cotton or wool, and usually placed in stiff thorny bushes."

Lieut. H.E. Barnes, writing from Chaman in Southern Afghanistan,
remarks:--"The Grey-backed Shrike is extremely common, breeding about
the end of March, in much the same situations as in India. I have
collected many specimens, and failed to detect any difference between
the Indian bird and the one found here. The average of twelve eggs is
.97 by .75."

He adds subsequently:--"This is the commonest Shrike in the country;
it breeds in March and April, and the young are easily reared in
captivity."

Mr. W. Blewitt says that he "took four nests of this bird near Hansee
on the 28th-30th March; they contained, one 5, two 4, and one 3
eggs; all but the latter (which, curiously enough, were a good deal
incubated) quite fresh. The nests were placed in acacia and caper
bushes, at heights of from 6 to 14 feet from the ground; they were
from 6 to 7 inches in diameter exteriorly, rather loosely constructed
of thorny twigs, with egg-cavities from 2 to 21/2 inches deep, lined
with fine straw and leaves." Again he writes: "Took numerous nests in
the neighbourhood of Hansee during the month of July; most of the eggs
were much incubated, and four was the largest number found in any one
nest.

"The nests were all placed upon keekur trees at an average height of
some 10 feet from the gro