342 HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS 



The occurrence in Great Britain of a North- 

 American species of Grey Shrike (Lanius excuhi- 

 toroides, Swainson), has several times been reported 

 or hinted at {cf. Longmuir, Naturalist, vol. ii. 

 p. 239, and vol. iii. p. 140; Smith, Zool, 1849, 

 pp. 2495-2567 ; Garth, 1850, p. 2649 ; Tomes, 

 1850, pp. 2650 and 2734, fig.; and Gray, "Birds 

 of West of Scotland," p. 65). It M^ould appear, 

 however, from what has been stated by Messrs. 

 Dresser and Sharpe (P. Z. S., 1870, p. 590) and 

 Prof. Newton (Yarrell's "Brit. Birds," vol. i. p. 203) 

 on the changes of plumage which the Grey Shrikes 

 undergo, that the birds which were thought to be 

 of North- American origin were the young of Lanius 

 exciibitOT. 



LESSER GREY SHRIKE. Lanius minor, Gmelin. 

 Length, 8'25 in. ; bill, 0*5 in. ; wing, 4-25 in. ; tarsus, 

 0-9 in. 



Hah. Central and Southern Europe, wintering in 

 North Africa. 



One, Heron Court, near Christchurch, Hants, Sept. 1842 : 

 Murray Mathew, Zool, 1894, p. 345. 



One, St. Mary's, Scilly, Nov. 1851 : Rodd, Zool, 1851, p. 3301, 

 and 1867, p. 703. In the collection of E. H. Rodd. 



One, Yarmouth, Norfolk, spring 1869 : Mathew, Zool, 1870, 

 p. 2060 ; Stevenson, torn, cit, p. 2139 ; " Birds of Nor- 

 folk," vol. iii. p. 376. In collection of M. A. Mathew. 



One, Yarmouth, May 1875 : Stevenson, Zool, 1875, p. 4633, 

 and Gurney, to7)i. cit., p. 4691 ; Stevenson, Trans. Norf. 

 Nat. Soc, 1876, p. 209. In collection of J. H. Gurney. 



One taken aUve near Plymouth, Sept. 23, 1876, immature: 

 Gatcombe, Zool, 1876, p. 5178. 



