Shrikes from Central Asia. 381 



plate ii,^ fig. 2, in the well-known work of Mr, Bogdanow) 

 being dark brown. Thus we see that of six specimens de- 

 scribed by Mr. Bogdanow as L. mollis only three are really 

 referable to it^ viz. : the type of Eversmann, a specimen ob- 

 tained by Mr. Beresovsky near Khobdo, in Mongolia, and a 

 s])ecimen from Nor-Zai'ssan, presented by Mr. Slovzov, all 

 being males. The remaining three specimens (a supposed 

 adult female from the river Lepsa, a nestling from the river 

 Irtysh, and another from the river Zanma) belong, I think, 

 to L. funereus, which in its distribution is confined to the 

 Tliiaii-Shan range. 



Lanius mollis, Eversm. 



Adult male. General colour above, including the crown of 

 the head, olive-grey, passing into grey on the lower back ; 

 the upper back brownish ; tips of the longest scapulars, 

 rump, and upper tail-coverts ochraceous buff, deeper in tone 

 of colour on the scapulars ; quills brownish black ; basal 

 portion of the primaries pure white, producing a conspicuous 

 alar patch ; secondaries tipped with white ; wing-coverts 

 black, except the lesser ones, which are entirely olive-grey ; 

 greater and median coverts tipped with grey ; an indistinctly 

 marked line of greyish white over the eye; lores and ear- 

 coverts black ; tail-feathers black, with whitish base, the 

 whole outer web and terminal half of the inner web of the 

 outer pair of feathers pure white, this colour increasing in 

 extent towards the central pair ; underparts tinged with 

 vinaceous and vinaceous cinnamon ; the fore neck, breast, 

 and abdomen with narrow transverse vermiculations ; the 

 flanks vinaceous cinnamon ; under wing-coverts white, 

 slightly tinged with brownish on the greater ones ; axillaries 

 white. Bill dark horn-brown, paler at the base ; feet black. 

 Tail 5'1 inches, wing 4*8, bill I'Oo, tarsus 1"05. 



Adult female. General colour above, including the crown 

 of the head, scapulars, and lesser wing-coverts, greyish tawny 

 brown ; the greatest scapulars edged with pale tawny ochra- 

 ceous buff; the rump ochraceous buff; the upper and lower 

 tail-coverts sandy buff, with traces of the vermiculations ; a 



