270 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OB" BRITISH BIRDS. 



of mantle, scapulars and back riifous-brown with faint dark 

 subterminal bands ; of rnmp and upper tail-coverts buff with 

 black subterminal crescentic bands; of under-parts cream-coloured, 

 those of upper-breast and flanks having black subterminal 

 crescentic bands ; of lesser and median ^\^ng-co verts dark 

 brown with rufous tips. A varying number of juvenile body- 

 feathers, lesser and median wing-coverts are moulted June- 

 Sept., but a good many juvenile feathers are alwaj^s retained, as 

 well as the greater and prima,ry-co verts, and mng- and tail-feathers. 

 First summer. Male and female. — The mixed plumage of juvenile 

 and first winter is completely moulted from Nov. -March, except 

 for primary-coverts which appear not to be moulted and frequently 

 two or three primaries or secondaries. New plumage like adults 

 but occasionally males have a few feathers on flanks with black 

 crescentic bands and females appear to have more of these feathers 

 than adult females. In males primary-coverts are distinctly 

 broAvn and frequently some primaries or secondaries being 

 unmoulted are brown and worn. 



Measurements and structure. — ^ wing 92-103 mm., tail 74-84, 

 tarsus 23-25, bill from feathers on culmen 13-14.5 (12 measured). 

 $ wing 91-103. Primaries : 1st 3-8 mm. longer than longest 

 primary-covert, 3rd and 4th longest, 2nd 5-10 mm. shorter, 5th 

 3-7 shorter, 6th 9-15 shorter ; 3rd to 5th emarginated outer webs. 

 Tail fairly square except for two outer pairs, outermost being 

 about 10 mm. short and penultimate 3-5 short. Bill and rictal 

 bristles as in L. minor. 



Soft jMrts. — Bill bluish-black, base of lower mandible pale slate 

 (upper dark smoke-colour, lower paler in juvenile) ; legs and feet 

 slate-black ; iris dark broAvn. 



Characters and allied forms. — For differences of L. s. badius 

 see under that form, L. s. niloticns (Persia, Palestine, winter north- 

 east Africa) has basal third of central tail-feathers white. Chestnut 

 crown, black mantle, and white scapulars and rianji distinguish 

 the species. 



Field -characters. — In flight has black and white appearance 

 and white rump is noticeable, at rest chestnvit crown and nape and 

 white scapulars are conspicuous, as well as white breast, which shows 

 up at considerable distance. Like other Shrikes, is very fond of 

 posting itself on tops of trees, bushes and posts and wires, from 

 which it darts at its prey either in the air or on the ground, but it 

 also sometimes frequents thickish woods. Fairly tame and confid- 

 ing, especially when feeding young. Its call and alarm notes are 

 very harsh and somewhat varied. The young when fledged have 

 grey appearance, are usually concealed amongst foliage of trees or 

 bushes and have a single, somewhat piping, call-note (H.F.W.). 



Breeding-habits. — Nests on outer branches of trees (olivC; orange, 



