Laiiius excubitor and Lanius major. 37 



E. Specimens in Winter Plumage (December to February). 

 a. Typical L. major. 

 Two males. — Traces of vcrmiculations. In one the basal 

 spot on tbe secondaries absolutely wanting^ in the other 

 indicated by a white point (3 mm.) on a single feather. Aker, 

 21st Dec, 1872 ; 10th Feb., 1885. 



Z/. excubitor, in its most typical form, i. e. having the two 

 wing-spots well developed, therefore occurs at all seasons of 

 the year, and in both sexes ; this is the case even with young in 

 the early autumn, nay, even in their first plumage {" nesting- 

 plumage'^), at least with the males. 



In the autumn traces of the vcrmiculations become per- 

 ceptible, save in the case of exceptional specimens (probably 

 old birds) . In the spring and summer the transverse bands, 

 as a rule, disappear. 



The size of the black spot on the outermost tail-feather 

 varies exceedingly, but most frequently is smaller than in the 

 dark form {" L. major" ). 



A transition-form to L. homeyeri, or an individual exhibit- 

 ing a surplus of white, was a male in spring. 



"L. major/' in its typical form, without the slightest trace 

 of any basal spot on the secondaries, may likewise, it would 

 seem, occur at all seasons of the year, and in both sexes, as 

 also in the nest-plumage; the majority, however, have proved 

 to be females. 



The vermiculations across the abdomen are frequently 

 retained in this form ; they had, however, as with L. ex- 

 cubitor, disappeared in the two spring specimens — one a male, 

 the other a female — and in one autumn specimen, a male. 

 On the other hand, they were present in a female with 

 summer plumage. 



The intermediate forms have, as a general rule, been autumn 

 examples ; one only, approximating very closely the typical 

 L. major, was a male in the spring. Of these autumn indi- 

 viduals, two stood equally near to both forms, one approxi- 

 mated closely the typical L. eojcubitor, and one exhibited a 

 remarkable surplus of reddish grey (transition to L. borealis). 



