286 LANIID.B. 



cream-colour, spotted and blotched with pale reddish brown or 

 brown and lavender. The markings generally form a broad but 

 ver}^ irregular zone round the larger end, and are rather scanty on 

 the smaller half of the egg. Examples measure from "89 to 1 in 

 length, and from "62 to '68 in breadth. 



Cephalophoneus tephronotus ( Vig.). 



Lanius tephronotus, Gadoxo, Cat. Birds B. M. viii. p. 260 (1883) ; Oates, 

 Fauna Brit. Ind., Birds, i. p. 465 (1889) ; id. ed. Hume, Nests 8f 

 Eggs Ind. Birds, i. p. 325 (1889) ; Hartert, Nov. Zool. i. p. 673 

 (1894) ; Ne/irJc. Kit. Eiersanunl. p. 72 (1899). 



Gephalophoneus tephronotus, Sharps, Hand-l. iv. p. 287 (1903). 



The eggs of the Grey-backed Shrike in the Collection are of two 

 types of coloration. In one, they are of a greenish-white colour, 

 blotched and spotted with pale olive-brown and lavender. Four 

 examples of this type measure respectively : 1 by 'lb ; 1 by "74 ; 

 •97 by '75 ; -Qb by -77. In a second type, the eggs are of a 

 pinkish-white colour, blotched and spotted with salmon-pink and 

 lilac. The average dimensions of five examples of this type are 

 1-03 by "71. These are of a somewhat narrow oval shape and 

 glossy, whereas those of the first type are of a broad oval form and 

 exhibit but a small trace of gloss. 



2. Sikhim Terai, 7th June (O. Moller). Hume Coll. 



2. Himalayas {Nekrkorn Coll.). Crowley Bequest. 



5. Koko-'!^ OT, Tihet (Tring Musemn). Crowley Bequest. 



Gephalophoneus erythronotus ( Vig.). 



Lanius erythronotus, Wardlaio-Bamsay, Ibis, 1880, p. 52 ; Gadow, torn. 



cit. p. 263 ; Oates, Fauna Brit. Ind., Birds, i. p. 464 (1889) ; id. 



ed. Hume, Nests ^ Eggs Ind. Birds, i. p. 318 (1889). 

 Cephalophoneus erythronotus, Sharpe, Hand-l. iv. p. 287 (1903). 



The eggs of the Indian Rufous-backed Shrike are so similar to 

 those of Lanius lahtora, differing merely in being smaller, that it is 

 unnecessary to describe them separately. Some eggs of this species, 

 taken by Colonel R. G. Wardlaw-Eamsay in Afghanistan, differ, 

 however, in being cream-coloured, beautifully speckled with bright 

 chestnut and underlying lavender in about eqi;al proportions. The 

 markings are very dense on the larger half of the egg and 

 comparatively scanty on the smaller. Specimens measure from -85 

 to 1*05 in length, and from '65 to "77 in breadth. 



4. Hariat Valley, Afghanistan, 26th Seebohm Coll. 

 May {R. G. Wardlaw-Ramsay). 



