150 LESSER GREY SHRIKE. 



valley of the Rhone and Provence. It is common in Italy, Sicily, 

 Dalmatia, Greece, Turkey, Asia Minor and Palestine, where it 

 frequents the outskirts of cultivation on the lower grounds, but does 

 not ascend to the elevated regions. In all the above countries it is 

 only known in summer or on migration ; and its winter-quarters 

 appear to be in South Africa. In Asia it is found from Persia to 

 Omsk in 57° N. lat., and eastward to Lake Zaisan in long. 84° E. It 

 arrives in Germany between April 24th and May 7th, remaining till 

 between August i8th and September loth (Dr. Rey) ; but in south- 

 eastern Europe it stays until October. 



The nest, commenced about the middle of May, is generally 

 placed at least ten feet from the ground, in an oak, wild pear or 

 crab, and in Greece frequently in an olive-tree. It is composed 

 of twigs, dry roots, aromatic field-flowers and green grasses, with a 

 lining of wool, hair and feathers ; the eggs, 5-7 in number, are pale 

 bluish-green, blotched with olive-brown and ash-colour : measure- 

 ments '98 by 77 in. Incubation, shared by both sexes, lasts fifteen 

 days, and during the breeding-season the birds are very pugnacious, 

 driving even Crows and Magpies from the vicinity of their nest. 

 Like most Shrikes, this species is fond of perching on the topmost 

 branch of a tree or other elevated position, whence it darts with 

 rapidity upon its prey, sometimes gliding with extended wings 

 for a short distance. Its food consists of beetles and other 

 insects, seldom impaled on thorns, but devoured while held in the 

 bird's foot : in the season, however, cherries, figs and other fruits 

 are eaten, llie note is described by Naumann as a harsh kjdck, 

 kjdck, but the song of other birds is often imitated. 



Adult male : forehead, line above the eye and ear-coverts black ; 

 cheeks white ; nape and back grey, rump rather paler ; wing-feathers 

 black, slightly tipped with white on the secondaries, and with white 

 bases to the primaries, forming a broad single bar ; central tail- 

 feathers black except at their bases ; in the others the bases and tips 

 are white, which gradually encroaches upon the black until the outer 

 pair are entirely white ; under parts white, suffused with a rosy blush 

 on the breast and flanks; bill, legs and feet blackish. Length 8*5 in.; 

 wing 4 '6 in. The female and the immature male have less black on 

 the forehead. The young bird — the upper figure in the woodcut — 

 has no dark frontal band, and the under parts are dull yellowish- 

 white, mottled with grey transverse lines. This species may be 

 distinguished from all other Grey Shrikes by its wing formula ; 

 the I St or bastard primary being very short, while the 2nd nearly 

 equals the 3rd and longest primary. 



