OTOMELA ISABELLINA 293 
Otomela isabellina. 
Lanius isabellinus, Hemprich and Ehrenb. Symb. Phys. fol. e note 2 (1828) 
Gumfuda (i.e., Kumfuda) in Arabia ; Dresser B. Eur iii. p. 4138, pl. 
152 (1878) ; Gadow, Cat. B. M. viii. p. 277 (1883) ; Ogilvie-Grant, 
Nov. Zool. 1902, p. 482; Reichen. Vog. Afr. ii. p. 624 (1903) ; 
pee eer J. f. O. 1905, p. 703 Somaliland ; Hartert, Nov. Zool. 1906, 
p. 402; Ogilvie-Grant, Ibis, 1907, p. 591 White Nile and Baro 
river ; Seatee Ibis, 1908, p. 226, 1909, p. 394 Sudan; Bannerman, 
Ibis, 1910, p. 304, N. Somaliland ; Koenig, Ber. V. Intern. Orn.- 
Kongr. 1910, p. 512 White Nile ; Sjostedt, Kilimandjaro-Meru 
Exped. Vég. p. 117. 
hone icabellinus, Shelley, B. Afr. i. No, 708 (1896). 
Lanius cristatus isabellinus, Hartert, Vog. paliiark. Fauna i, p. 444 
(1907) ; Zedlitz, J. f. O. 1910, p. 806 Hritrea and Abyssinia. 
Lanius arenarius, Blyth, J. A. 8. Beng. xv. p. 304 (1846) Sindh. 
Lanius ruficaudus, Brehm, J. f. O. 1857, p. 79 Blue Nile. 
Lanius speculigerus, Tacz. J. f. O. 1874, p. 322 Argun F., Siberia. 
Adult male. Upper parts ashy, shading into cinnamon towards the 
upper tail-coverts and on the tail, the latter with very narrow pale terminal 
edges to the feathers; front and sides of forehead and side margins of crown 
fading into white; lores to end of ear-coverts black ; wings dark brown, with 
the lesser coverts like the mantle, some isabelline edges to the feathers, 
broader on the inner ones, and white bases to most of the primaries, forming 
a small speculum on the closed wing; inner edges of quills, axillaries and 
under wing-coverts white, the latter with a dusky patch next to the primaries, 
under parts buff fading into white on the cheeks and chin. ‘Tris dark brown ; 
bill dark brown, horny flesh-colour below, excepting the tip; tarsi and feet 
slaty black.” (Butler). Total length 7-0 inches, culmen 0:6, wing 3 6, tail 
3-4, tarsus 0°95. Ailet, ¢, 19. 4.00 (G. Schrader). 
Adult female. Differs in being slightly paler and duller; sides of head 
buff with the ear-coverts only brownish-black, no black in front of the eye; 
flanks slightly washed with rufous. Wing 3°65. Ailet, ¢, 19. 4. 00 
(Schrader). 
Immature. Slightly more isabelline above, some narrow curved dusky 
bars on the sides of the throat and chest. 
The Pale Red-tailed Shrike breeds in Central Asia probably 
throughout Turkestan and Kashgaria, while in winter it 
migrates south to north-west India, Persia, Arabia, and north- 
east Africa. Within our limits it has been met with at 
Suakim on the Red Sea and at Shendy in the Nile valley 
June, 1912, 20 
