Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 08.djvu/475

SHREWSBURY 411 SHROVE TUESDAY SHREWSBURY, a municipal and parliamentary borough of England, capi- tal of Shropshire, situated on a slightly elevated peninsula formed by a bend of the Severn, 42 miles N. W. of Birming- ham. It consists of some handsome mod- ern houses and many old timbered houses of very picturesque appearance. Several bridges cross the Severn and connect the town with its suburbs. Among objects deserving of notice are the remains of the old walls ; the ruins of the castle ; the Church of Holy Cross, originally attached to a magnificent Benedictine abbey, founded in 1083; the grammar school, ranking high among public schools, founded by Edward VI. in 1551, and removed to new buildings at Kingsland in 1882; the market house, of the time of Queen Elizabeth; statues of Lords Clive and Hill, etc. The chief manufac- tures are glass staining, the spinning of flax and linen yarn, iron founding, brewing, the preparation of brawn, and the making of the well-known "Shrews- bury cakes." In 1403 the famous battle which ended in the defeat of Hotspur and the Earl of Douglas, his ally, by Henry IV. was fought in the vicinity. Pop. about 30,000. SHRIKE, in ornithology, a popular name for any individual of the Laniidas, applied specially for the last three cen- BULL-HEADED SHRIKE turies to Lanius excubitor, the great gray shrike. The length of the adult male is about 10 inches: pearl gray on uuper part of body; chin, breast, and abdomen white; tail feathers black, variegated, and tipped with white; a black band crosses the forehead. The lesser gray shrike (L. minor), from eight to nine inches, is an occasional winter ' visitor. The red-backed shrike (L. colluris), like L. septentrionalis, is often called the nine killer, and with one or two other small shrikes is sometimes placed in a genus Enneoctonus. Shrikes feed on insects and small birds, and have a remarkable habit of impaling their prey on thorns in the neighborhood of their nests, which may thus be easily discovered. They kill and impale many insects that they do not ea't See Butcher Bird. SHRIMP, a popular name for any individual of the genus Crangon, allied to lobster, crayfish, and prawn. The form is elongated, tapering, and arched. The rostrum is very short, claws small, the fixed finger being merely a small tooth, the movable finger unciform. The whole structure is delicate and subtrans- lucent. When alarmed they bury them- selves in the sand by a peculiar motion of the telson. The common shrimp (C. vulgaris ) , about two inches long, green- ish-gray dotted with brown, is esteemed as an article of food. They are usually taken by a net. Also, the Pandalus an- nulicomis, taken in the northern waters of Europe. When alive its color is reddish- gray, with red spots. When boiled it be- comes a deep red. SHRINE, a case, box, or reliquary in which the bones or other remains of saints were deposited. They were often richly ornamented with gold, precious stones, and elaborate carvings, and were gener- ally placed near the altar of the church. SHROPSHIRE, or SALOP, a county of western England, adjoining Wales. Area, 1,346 square miles. Pop. about 250,000. The principal river is the Sev- ern, flowing in a southeasterly direction across the county for a distance of some 70 miles. It is navigable throughout its entire course. In the N. and N. E., the generally level country is worked exten- sively for agricultural purposes. In the S. and S. W., where the county is hilly, rising at times to an altitude of 1,800 feet, cattle breeding is the principal in- dustry. A peculiarly horned sheep is well known as the product of the county. The county also has extensive mineral deposits, consisting of coal, iron, copper, and lead, which are worked successfully and form the basis of important iron in- dustries. Capital, Shrewsbury. SHROVE TUESDAY. Gras. See Mardi