( 457 ) 



only Mie two outer pairs of tail-feathers are pure white, the fourth [lair liaviug a 

 large hhiek jiatch ou tlie midille of the inuer web. In typical examples of 

 L. dealbatus and L. nssimilis the secondary quills have the outer web lilack to the 

 base and the inner web mostly white. L. dealbatus has the two outer pairs ol' 

 tail-feathers jmre white, while in />. (i.ssimilis the outer pair only are white. 



In L. jiallidirostris the basal half or more of the primary (piills is white as 

 in the above species, but the inner webs of the secondaries and the outer tail- 

 feathers are marked as in L. iincinatus. 



Intermediate forms are found between Tj. elegans and L. dealbatus — that is to 

 say, we find examples with the two outer jiairs of tiiil-feathers pure white, a 

 character common to both forms, but with the black basal part of the outer web 

 of the secondaries showing distinct traces of white. In the same way intermediate 

 forms occur between L. eh'(j(ins and Tj. assimiUs. 



Lastly, intermediate forms are fouud between L. dealbatus and Ij. ass///iil/s, 

 and between L. assimil/s and L. jiallidirostris, with the inner web of the 

 secondary <juills white towards the margin. No intermediate forms are found 

 between L. pallidirostris and L. uncinatus, which is an isolated insular form. 



It should also be noted that intermediate forms occur between the above and 

 the grey-breasted /.. algeriensis. 



8. Lanius hemileucurus (PI. XXVI. fig. 7). 



Lanins liemileunirus Finsch. & Hartl., I'oV/. Oxt-Afr. p. 329 (1870) (Algeria), 



Adult male. — Secondary (luills white with a black patch on the terminal half 

 of the outer web next the shaft ; three outer pairs of tail-feathers pure white. 

 Primary quills with the basal half or more white. A narrow black band about 

 0*1 in. wide at the base of the culmen. 



Total length ca. 9-5 in. ; wing 4--', tail 4-4, tarsus 1-2. 



No example marked female has been examined, but no doubt the plumage is 

 similar to that of the male. 



Ilab. The type is said to have come from Algeria. There are three typical male 

 examples of this species among the birds kindly lent me by Mr. J. I. S. Whitaker ; 

 these were obtained at Djilma, (Jentral Tunis, and at Uouz, in Southern Tunis. 



0. Lanius elegans (PI. XXVI. fig. 8.). 



Lauras degans Swains i- Richarils., Faiiii. Bur. Aiiier. ii. p. 122 (18.^1) ; Gadow, t. c. p. 251. PI. VII. 

 Lamiix hiMnrii Sharpe & Dresser, P. Z. S. 1870. p. 59.0 (part.) ; Dresser, B. Eumpe, iii. p. 385 (part.) 

 and PI. 14(J lower fig. (1872). 



Adult {Type of the species). — Like L. hemileucurus, but only the two outer 

 j)airs of tail-feathers are jmre white ; the fourth pair have a large black patch on 

 the middle of the inner web. 



Total length ca. 9-5 in ; wing 4-3, tail 4-3, tarsus \-i. 



Adult males a,nd females in the collection of Mr. J. I. S. Whitaker arc similar 

 in jilnmage and size. 



The figure of the type of /v. ele(/iNis given in the Ciitalot/ue of llinls, vol. viii. 

 PU VII., leads one to supjuise that the fourth pair of tail-feathers, like the two 

 outer pairs, is white except perhaps at the extreme base ; but this is not really the 

 case, the black patch being largely developed on the middle of the inner web. 



Immature bints. — Resemble the adult in the jiattern of the wings and tail, but 

 the general colour of the upper parts is brownish, and the wing-coverts are edged 



