LANIUS. 275 



Lanius excubitor, Linn. 



Lanius excubitor, Thien. Fortpftanz. r/es. Vog. p. 322, tab. xxxi. fig-. 1, 

 a-d (1845-54) ; Baedeker, Eier Eur. Vog. tab. 52. fig. 1 (1855-63); 

 Hewitson, Eggs of Brit. Birds, i. p. 69, pi. xx. fig. i (1856) ; 

 Dresser, Birds Eur. iii. p. 375 (1871); Gadow, Cat. Birds B. M. 

 viii. p. 237 (1883) ; Seebohm, Brit. Birds, i. p. 598, pi. 11 (1883) ; 

 id. Eggs of Brit. Birds, p. 220, pi. 54. tig. 9 (1896) ; Sharpe, 

 Hand-l. iv. p. 280 (1903). 



Eggs of tbe Great Grey Shrike are of a regular oval shape, and 

 while some possess a slight amount of gloss, others are entirely 

 devoid of it. The ground-colour varies from greyish white to an 

 extremely light greenish white, and is thickly marked with spots 

 and blotches of brown of different shades and underlying pale 

 purplish grey. In the majority of specimens the markings are 

 confluent at the larger end and form a large cap or an irregular 

 zone. In other examples the markings are small, comparatively 

 well-defined and distinct and fairly evenly distributed over the 

 entire shell. Examples measure from 1 to 1*15 in length, and 

 from -75 to - 79 in breadth. 



3. Europe. Gould Coll, 



2. Lapland. Crowley Bequest. 



4. Holland, 21st Mav. Salvin-Godman Coll. 



2. Holland, 29th May. Salvin-Godman Coll. 



3. Holland (J. Baker). Salvin-Godman Coll. 



4. Holland (/. B.). Salvin-Godman Coll. 

 2. Holland (J. B.). Crowley Bequest. 



2. Valkenswaard, Holland, June (J.B.). Salvin-Godman Coll. 



2. Valkenswaard, June (J. B.). Salvin-Godman Coll. 



3. Valkenswaard (J. B.). Seebohm Coll. 



3. Valkenswaard ( W. Bridget-). Crowley Bequest. 



2. Valkenswaard, 21st May (H. Seebohm Coll. 



Seebohm). 



3. Valkenswaard, 27th May {H. S.). Seebohm Coll. 



3. Vosges Mts., France (Mougel: Har- Seebohm Coll. 



gift Coll.). 



1. Vosges (Mougel: Hargitt Coll.). Seebohm Coll. 



2. Germany (H. Saunders). Seebohm Coll. 



Lafiius pallidirostris, Cass. 



(Plate XII. fig. 14.) 



Lanius excubitor, Tristram, Ibis, 1867, p. 364. 



Lanius f'allax, Gadoiv, Cat. Birds B. M. viii. p. 247 (1883) ; Oates, 



Fauna Brit. Ind., Birds, i. p. 460 (1889) ; Dresser, Birds Eur. ix. 



Suppl. p. 163 (1895). 

 Lanius pallidirostris, Sharpe, Hand-l. iv. p. 281 (1903). 



The eggs of Finsch's Grey Shrike are quite indistinguishable 

 from those of L. excubitor. They measure from *95 to LI in 

 length, and from "71 to *8 in breadth. 



4. Tiberias, Palestine, 29th March. Canon Tristram [C.]. 



5. Jericho, Palestine, 16th April Salvin-Godman Coll. 



(H. B. Tristram). 



t2 



