LANIOS ELEGANS 171 



recently published (Nov. Zool. ix, pp. 449-486), reviews its several 

 species Vk'ith careful and systematic minuteness. 



The scope of the present work will not allow of more than a 

 cursory notice of this review, but as criticism is very sensibly invited, 

 I may briefly observe that while concurring with Mr. Grant on many 

 points, I cannot agree with him entirely in his treatment of the Grey 

 Shrike group, several of the forms recognised by him being, in my 

 opinion, separated on insufficient grounds, while others, which have 

 distinctly more claim to separation, are denied even subspecific 

 distinction. Mr. Grant allows full specific rank to, and separates 

 under the names of L. liemileucurus, L. elegans, and L. dealbatus, the 

 Grey Shrikes inhabiting the very same tract of country in South 

 Tunisia. The differential characters, however, pointed out by him as 

 existing between these so-called species are extremely slight and not 

 constant, or, indeed, more than what may be observed between 

 individuals of the same form. The above three names, together 

 perhaps with that of L. assiinllis, are probably all referable to one 

 form, which, as before mentioned, should bear the oldest available 

 name of L. elegans, Swains. 



L. paUidirostris, Cassin, with which Mr. Grant unites L. fallax, 

 Finsch, and other forms, including L. grimmi and L. algeriensis 

 dodsoni, although in some respects approximating to L. elegans, 

 resembles more closely L. algeriensis, Less., in the markings of its 

 wings and tail, and in the grey colouring of its underparts, as does 

 also, and still more so, L. uncinatus, Sel. and Hartl., which latter, 

 moreover, is somewhat smaller and has a differently shaped bill. 

 L. uncinatus is an insular form from the island of Socotra, and appears 

 to be a good species. 



LANIUS ELEGANS, Swainson. 

 PALLID SHKIKE. 



Lanius elegans, Swainson, Fauna Bor.-Amer. 11, p. 122 (1831) ; Gadoiv, 



Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. viii, p. 251, pi. vii. 

 Lanius dealbatus, Locke, Expl. Sci. Alg. Ois. ii, p. 49 (1867) ; Kocnig, 



J. f. 0. 1892, p. 379 ; Whitaker, Ibis, 1894, p. 89 ; Erlanger, J. f. 0. 



1899, p. 499. 



Description — Adult male, spring, from Douz, South Tunisia. 



Crowu, nape and back delicate Fiench-grey ; a narrow frontal line, lores. 



