374 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 
Fam. LANIIDA. 
308. Lanius Minor, Gm. Lesser Grey Shrike. 
As far as has been recorded at present this well-known European 
Shrike has been procured chiefly in South-western Africa. 
Anchieta has obtained it at Humbe, on the Cunene -River, and 
the following note appears in Mr. Andersson’s work :— This ~ 
species is very common in Damara Land during the rainy season ; 
put on the return of the dry weather it mostly disappears, though 
I believe a few individuals remain throughout the year. These 
Shrikes usually perch on some conspicuous tree or other elevated 
object, whence they can obtain a good view of what passes around 
them; they feed chiefly on insects, which they catch both on the 
wing and on the ground. <A great number of these birds are often 
found in a very limited space and not unfrequently in the same 
tree.’ The only occurrence that we are aware of in other parts 
of South Africa has been the single instance when Mr. Frank Oates 
shot two on the Tati River, on the 19th November, 1874. 
Adult.—Above delicate French grey; wing-coverts black, the 
least ones mixed with grey; quills black, the inner web pure white 
at the base; the outer web of the primaries also white at the base, 
forming a broad white alar band; the innermost secondaries 
narrowly tipped with the same colour ; the four centre tail-feathers 
entirely black, the next two white at the base and tip, black in the 
centre of the feather, the next two similar, but with less black, and 
the outer ones on each side are entirely white ; a broad black band 
across the forehead, extending backwards over the eye to the ear- 
coverts, which are also black ; entire under surface white, tinged on 
the breast and sides of the body with delicate pink ; bill and feet 
black. Total length, 8 inches ; wing, 4°7; tail, 4; tarsus, 0°9. 
Fig. Sharpe and Dresser, B. Eur. pl. xiii. 
859. Lanivus couzanis, D. Fiskal Shrike. 
This Shrike is more abundant in the neighbourhood of Cape 
Town than in any other part of the colony that we have visited. It 
appears to affect the vicinity of habitations at all times, as in the 
very wild country it is seldom seen. It is bold, daring, and 
rapacious, a deadly foe to cage-birds, Canaries in particular, entering 
into rooms regardless of the assembled family, and tearing them 
from their cages. It preys upon all kinds of small living things ; 
