158 LANIAR.E. 



as in tlie male ; no black about tlie bead, but a liglit-coloured 

 streak over the eye ; the whole of the upper surface of the 

 head and body reddish brown ; wings like those of the male, 

 but the rufous margins narrower ; upper surface of tail-fea- 

 thers brown, tinged with red ; the outer edge of the web of 

 each outside tail-feather dull white. Chin dull white ; un- 

 der surface of the body and the sides greyish white, crossed 

 with greyish brown semilunar lines ; abdomen, and under 

 tail-coverts, dull white ; under surface of tail-feathers grey, 

 tipped with dull white. The length of the female described 

 rather exceeded that of the male. Young males are like the 

 adult females, but have the darker semilunar marks on the 

 back as Avell as on the breast. 



Some particulars in reference to the plumage of this Shrike 

 deserve here to be noticed, Mr. Hoy* says, " I have a female 

 bird of the Red-backed species, in the full garb of the adult 

 male. I had found the nest, and observed near the spot 

 apparently two male birds : not being able to discover the 

 female, I was induced to shoot both ; and, on dissection, one 

 proved the female, witli the eggs much enlarged, and one 

 nearly ready for exclusion. I mention this circumstance, 

 as this change of plumage in some species has been attributed 

 to barrenness," Mr, Blyth has met with almost a similar ex- 

 ample, which is noticed as follows :-f- " The first individual 

 that came under my inspection this season was a very re- 

 markable bird : it was a female, partly in the male plumage ; 

 but the ovaries were perfect, and contained eggs ; and it was 

 in company with a partner of the other sex at the time it was 

 shot." 



Knowing that the adult female of the Grey Shrike, and 

 that of the Woodchat Shrike, next to be described, closely 

 resemble their respective males, except that their plumage 

 is less brilliant, may we not conclude that the really old 



* Mag. Nat. Hist. vol. iv. p. 344. t lb. vol. viii. p. 364. 



