Capt. Beavan on various Indian Birds. 311 



in which I then was, in October 1864, seized a living specimen 

 of the Golden-crested Wren, Regulus aurocapillus, of which 

 several had previously come on board, and sat quietly devouring 

 it on the main ratlines. 



257. Lanius ERyTHRONOTUS. Rufous-backed Shrike. 



This species occurred abundantly in the neighbourhood of 

 Simla, in 1866. The following dimensions were taken from 

 specimens in the flesh, the first two at that place, 11th and 29th 

 of June, the third at Umballah, 26th of Oct. 1866. 



The orbit and gape are plumbeous ; the bill and legs black, 

 or the latter may be perhaps more correctly described as being 

 dark plumbeous, with the soles lighter. On the 8th of August 

 a nest containing two eggs, with the male bird, were brought 

 to me at Simla by a sepoy, who told me that he had seen the 

 female fly off the nest, and that it belonged to this species. The 

 eggs are white with a very faint green tinge, blotched and dot- 

 ted with brown spots, most profusely so towards the blunt end. 

 They measured '9375 by '7. 



This species extends as far as Umballah, where I procured a 

 fine specimen on the 26th of October, 1866, the dimensions 

 of which I have given above. 



259. Lanius nigriceps. Black-headed Shrike. 



This bird is apparently rare in the district of Maunbhoom, 

 where it goes by the name of " Bugga-ker-kata." I observed a 

 pair in the tree-jungle between Saltooreeand Rognathpore; and 

 on one other occasion I saw one, on the march into Perulia from 

 Raneegunje. 



260. Lanius hardwickii*. The Bay-backed Shrike, 



The most abundant and characteristic Shrike near Umballah, 

 and it apparently extends some little distance up the hills ; for I 



* Potius L. vitiaUis, Valenc./r/f Walden, Ibis, 1868, p. 316. 



