( 459 ) 

 11. Lanius assimilis (Pi. XXVII. tig. lo)- 



Liinhis assimilii: Brehm, ././. 0. 1854 p. 140, [Sennar]. (Type examined ; ex Mus. Rothschilil) ; 

 Bogd., t. c. pp. ICO, 212, and 219 ; Gadow t. c. p. 2411 (part). 



Adult mall'. — Distinguished from L. ilcidljatns \\)- liaviiig only the outer pair of 

 tail-feathers white, the tifth pair black along the basal jiarr of tlie shaft and with a 

 patch of black on tlie middle of the inner web ; the secondary quills have the enter 

 web black to the base, and often a subterminal jiatch of black on the inner web, the 

 remainder of the inner web and the tip white. As in the previously described 

 species the I)asal half of the primary (|uills is white, and cxfends for alinut an inch 

 beyond the greater coverts. 



Total length ca. i)'5 ; wing 4-3, tail 4'2, tarsns II."). 



Adult female. — Does not ditfer from the mnle. 



Immature. — Have the grey of the upper parts waslied with brnwn and I lie 

 greater wing-coverts widely edged with butf, forining a well-dehued liand across 

 the wing. 



Hub. South-West Asia and North-East Africa, ranging north to Palestine, 

 Mesopotamia, Turkestan, and Pamir, eastwards to North-West India, south to 

 Southern Arabia, and westwards to North-East Africa. 



The British Museum possesses specimens intermediate between L. aMimilis and 

 L. pallidirostris from the following localities : Nal, Baluchistan ; Muscat, and 

 Engedi, Dead Sea. 



There are also specimens intermediate between L. assimilis and L. hihtora. 

 from Sind and Shore, Afghanistan. 



12. Lanius pallidirostris (PI. XXVII. fig. 11). 



Laiiiuis jxillidirmlrh Cassin, P. Ac. I'liilnrJ. IHol. p. 244 (E. Africa) ; Bogd., t. c. p. ICC. 



Lanius nrhikilin Licbt., Xomcncl. Ar. p. 12 (18.'i4) (Nubia. De.icr. null.) ; fide Bogd. t. c. p. ICC. 



Lanius pcdUthiH Antinori, Cut. Ucc. p. 50 (1864) (Kadaref, V Blue Nile). 



LmiiusfiiUiLi- Finsch, Tr. Z. S. vii. p. 249. PI. XXV. (IKTO) (Bogosland) ; Bogd. t. c. p. 105 ; Gadow, 



t. c. p. 247 (part) PI. VIII. 

 Lanius yriuoui Gadow (hcc Bogd.) t. c. p. 250. 



Lanius alt/erii'iisis iltiflsnui Whitaker, Ibis, 1898. p. 599 (Central and Southern Morocco). 

 Lanius huryi Lorenz. & Hellmayer, J.f. 0. 1901. p. 2S8 (S. Arabia). 



Adult male. — Resembles L. a-isimil/s and differs from L. unciiiatus in having 

 the basal half or more of the primary ipiills white. It resembles L. uueiuatus and 

 differs from L. assimilis in having the inner web of the secondary (juills dnsky, 

 somewhat paler towards the margin, and the outer pair of tail-feathers black along 

 the basal part of the shaft. 



Adult female. — Similar to the adult male. 



VoMmj birds.— lAke those of L. assimilis, but with the pattern of the wings and 

 tail as in the adult. 



Some of the Palestine birds have more black at the base of the tail, and the 

 breast and flanks distinctly washed with grey, indicating an ajiproacli towards 

 L. algerier/sis. 



Some specimens from South and Central Morocco (Lanius ali/erie»sis dad.io/ii 

 Whitaker) are indistinguishable from the palest forms from the (Canary Islands, the 

 colour of the breast and under parts being almost pare white. Mr. Whitaker has 

 kindly forwarded me six specimens for examination. These vary greatly inter se : 



