( 473 ) 



tingfiil witli nifoas ; wing lirowiiisli lilack, the coverts and seoondarios vatlier 

 widely edged witli pale rufous Iml}', liasal portion of the primary ((uills white, 

 forming a small speculum. 



Total lengtli ca. 7-0 iu. ; wing '-i-'.i, tail 32, tarsus 0-95 



Birds in this plumage have been described as A. iiifiiscatiis SusclikiM. 



.[(hilt f'rmide in breeding plnnKu/e (Kenderlik, May). — Differs chiefly from the 

 limit: ill having the general colour of the tail-feathers reddish brown, inclining to 

 rust-colour towards the base and on the upper tail-coverts ; the subterminal jiarts of 

 the outer tail-feathers, which are black in the male, are reddish brown : tiie breast 

 is but faintly tinged with buft'. 



The adult feimile is slightly smaller than the itvilr. 



Ailtdt mttle in worn lAnmnye (August). — Differs from the above in having 

 the general colour of the upper parts much greyer, the brown of the back having 

 to a great e.\tent worn off ; the rnfous edgings to the feathers of the wings and tail 

 are likewise almost absent, giving these parts a much blacker ajipearance. 



Specimens in this plumage have been described as L. ruddei Dresser, and 

 L. dichroiirus Meuzb. 



For the loan of the type of L. ruddei I am indebted to the kindness of Mr 

 W. E. Hoyle, Director of the Owens College, Manchester; while typical examjdes 

 of L. dichroiiriis and L. inftiscatiis, both from Kenderlik, have been supplied through 

 the kindness of Dr. Bianchi. 



Both the type of L. raddei and the St. Petersburg specimen of L. dichrotinis 

 have a narrow black band across the base of the culmen, and iu this respect 

 approach L. elaeagni Suschkin, a closely allied form met with in the same locality. 



The adult female of L. iii/'iiseaf/is sent from St. Petersburg also shows a trace 

 of a black band across the base of the culmen, which is entirely absent in the 

 male. With more material it appears possible that L. elaeagni may prove to be 

 inseparable from the present species. 



Hub. Ranging from Transcaspia to Lake Zaissan and the Kenderlik River. 



38. Lanius elaeagni. 



Ldiiiim el,ipii;/iil Susclikin, BuJI. Snc. Mosc. 1895. p. 41 (R. Emba, Kirghiz Steppes). 

 (llNiiielii hiiijdamnri Bianchi, MeUiiig. Biol. xii. pp. 5.S1— 588 (1880) ( Astrabad, N.W Persia), et Bull. 

 Aniil.'si. PHtrnb. XXX. p. 514 (1886). 



Adidt male in breeding phinmije (Kenderlik, May). — Differs chiefly from the 

 male of L. ruddei, in breeding jibimage, in having tlic Ujres and a narrow band of 

 feathers across the base of the culmen black, while the general colour of the 

 back and upper parts is a redder brown, less tinged with grey, and the u|iper tail- 

 coverts are of a more chestnut tint. 



Total length ca. Gfj ; wing 3-fi, tail 3.1, tarsus 10. 



Adult male in worn plumage [Type of L. bugdanowi Bianchi, from Astrabad, 

 22nd June (= 4th July)].— Differs chiefly in having the very much worn featber.s 

 of the crown of a brownish tint, caused apparently either by rusting and weathering, 

 or by the adjunct of adventitious matter. In otlier respects it closely resembles 

 typical L. elaeagni in breeding plumage. 



Adult female (Kenderlik, 3(ith April).— Differs chiefly from the adult viale 

 in breeding plumage in liaving the top of the head sandy brown, the feathers in 

 front of the eye white, the entire tail-feathers reddish brown, the <iuter pairs with 

 white tips edged internally with a black bar. 



