140 GREAT GREY SHRIKE. 



Turkestan to Southern Russia, where, by its union with the typical 

 L. excubitor, it seems to have produced an intermediate race, 

 known as Z. Juviieyeri. Space will not allow me to say more. 



A Grey Shrike of some kind was seen in Iceland in 1845 by 

 John Pell the falconer; and, as already shown, two forms occur and 

 interbreed in Northern Europe, up to the Arctic circle. In winter 

 they are forced to leave the high north, but even in Central Ger- 

 many the typical L. cxcubitor often remains throughout the winter, 

 and comparatively io."^ of either form extend their migrations to the 

 shores of the Mediterranean, although in the Black Sea region 

 they are more numerous. The south-east of France and the 

 Spanish Peninsula are occupied by a distinct and resident species, 

 L. mcridionali's, with vinous-coloured breast, while in Morocco and 

 Algeria we find L. algcrieiisis ; these two species never crossing the 

 Mediterranean. The Great Grey Shrike with the double white bar, 

 breeds in considerable numbers in the north of France, Belgium, 

 Holland, Germany and Central Europe. 



From the middle of May onwards the rather bulky nest of twigs, 

 roots and moss, lined with wool, hair and feathers, is built at the 

 top of a fir, or high up in some other tree. The eggs, 5-7, are 

 greenish-white, spotted and zoned with olive-brown and violet-grey : 

 average measurements i 'i by '8 in. The food consists largely of 

 lizards, mice, shrews, small or young birds, frogs and insects, 

 especially beetles and grasshoppers ; the indigestible portions being 

 thrown up in pellets. Like other members of the family, this species 

 impales its prey on long sharp thorns ; whence the name of 

 ' Butcher-bird ' ; while its fondness for sitting, like a sentinel, on a 

 lofty and conspicuous perch has earned for it the name of exaibitor. 

 The alarm-note is a sharp shake, shake ; the call-note fruii. 



Adult male : forehead and a line over each eye white ; lores, 

 cheeks and ear-coverts black; upper parts pearl-grey, turning to white 

 on the scapulars ; wing-feathers black with white bases to the prim- 

 aries, and in the typical Z. exaibitor, also to the secondaries, which, 

 with the inner primaries, are tipped with white ; outer tail-feathers 

 white ; in the others the black at their bases increases until the 

 central ones are entirely black ; under parts white ; bill, legs and 

 feet blackish. Length 9-5 ; wing 4-5 in. Female: duller, and the 

 breast faintly marked with greyish semilunar bars. Young : dull 

 greyish-brown above, and more borred on the under parts. . 



