68 A HANDBOOK OF EUROPEAN BIRDS. 
with yellow ; wings dark broyn, margined and tipped with 
whitish. Lores brown; und@ parts dull white, feathers cen- 
trally streaked with brown ; flanks washed with yellow. 
Young in first plumage: Yellowish-grey above, with 
brownish centres to most of the feathers; wings and tail as in 
adult female ; beneath yellowish-white, lined with brown ; flanks 
and under tail-coverts yellow. 
Young Male in Spring: Similar to adult female, but 
yellower above; tail-feathers shaded throughout and tipped 
with yellow ; upper tail-coverts very yellow ; throat and breast 
ground-colour, almost obscured by the overlying markings of 
brown ; rest of under parts whitish, and streaked with brown ; 
flanks, vent and under tail-coverts pale yellow. (N.B. Adult 
plumage is assumed very gradually.) 
Distribution: Breeds throughout Central and Southern 
Europe, Persia and Turkestan; has been known to breed in 
England occasionally. Winters in Southern Africa. 
Habitat: Woods and gardens. 
Family LANIIDA. 
Genus LANIUS. 
GREAT GREY SHRIKE. \” 
Lanius excubitor zn. 
Adult Male: /orehead and superciliary streak white ; 
scapulars and tail-coverts tipped with white ; crown and upper 
parts generally pearl-grey ; wings black, secondaries tipped with 
white and with white bases; primaries also barred with white 
near their bases, thus forming wo zing spots; central tail- 
feathers black, or just tipped with white, next pair whiter, and 
the outermost ones entirely white; lores and space below eye 
and ear-coverts black ; under parts white; bill, legs and feet 
black ; irides brown. Length 9 to g.5 inches; culmen 0°7; 
wing 4°5 ; tail 4°75; tarsus 1. 
Adult Female: Similar, but less pure in general colora- 
tion ; under parts duller and slightly vermiculated with dull 
grey. 
Young: Duller than female: dark parts, dark brown, 
