tilE SHRIKES. 167 



IV. THE RED-BACKED SHRIKE. LANIUS COLLURIO. 



Lanius col/un'o, Linn., S. N., i., p. 136 (1766); Macg., Br. B., 

 iii., p. 505 (1840); Dresser, B. Eur., iii., p. 399, pi. 150 

 (187 1) ; Newt. ed. Yarr., i., p. 209(1872); B. O. U. List 

 Br. B., p. 38 (1883); Seeb., Br. B., i., p. 606(1883), 

 Gadow, Cat. B. Brit. Mus., viii., p. 286 (1883); Lilford, 

 Col. Fig. Br. B., pt. v. (1887); Saunders, Man., p. 143 

 (18S9). 



Adult Male. — General colour above vinous chestnut ; the 

 rump grey ; the upper tail-coverts reddish-brown, greyer at the 

 tips; wing-coverts like the back; primary-coverts and quills 

 dusky brown, edged with rufous, more broadly on the inner 

 secondaries ; tail-feathers blackish, with a narrow white tip, all 

 but the centre feathers white for more than the basal half, the 

 outer feather edged with white externally, the shafts of all 

 blackish ; head and hind neck delicate blue-grey, becoming 

 lighter towards the forehead, which has a black line at the 

 base, joined to the lores and ear-coverts, which are also black ; 

 above this black line is a narrow line of whitish, extending 

 above the ear-coverts ; cheeks and under surface of body 

 vinous pink, becoming whiter on the lower abdomen and under 

 tail-coverts ; under wing-coverts and axillaries whitish ; bill and 

 feet black ; iris, dark hazel. Total length, 7 inches ; culmen, 

 0*65; wing, 3-6; tail, 3*0; tarsus 0-9. 



Adult Female. — Differs considerably from the male. Reddish- 

 brown above, instead of chestnut, and having the rufous colour 

 on the wings of the same tint ; the grey of the head duller, 

 and washed with brown ; lores and eyebrows buffy-white, 

 and the ear-coverts rufous, instead of black ; tail-feathers 

 brown, with only a little whitish-red near the base of the outer 

 ones, which are narrowly tipped with white, the outermost 

 white along the outer web ; throat and abdomen white ; the 

 cheeks, fore-neck, and breast, as well as the sides of the body, 

 yellowish-buff, with crescentic bars of brown. Total length, 

 7 inches; wing, 3-65. 



Young. — -Like the old female, but more chestnut, and with 

 blackish-brown ear-coverts ; the under surface of the body as in 

 the adult hen bird, but the upper surface also mottled with 

 pale tips and crescentic bars of black on all the feathers. 



