and on Lanius cephalomelas, Bp. 69 



title of Lanius melanthes, is of much value and interest. It sets 

 at rest the doubts hitherto entertained as to the specific validity, 

 if not as to the existence even, of such a Shrike; and although I 

 have not had an opportunity of seeing Mr. Swinhoe^s specimen, 

 he has so fully described it that I have no hesitation in referring 

 it to the Lanius fuscatus of Lesson, who appears to have first dis- 

 criminated this species, giving in 1831 (Traite d'Ornithologie, 

 p. 373) the following short notice of it — "Pie-grieche enfumee, 

 Lanius fuscatus. Plumage brun de suie enfume ", — but without 

 mentioning any locality for it. 



In his " Monographic des Lauiens " (Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 

 1863, p. 434, note) Bonaparte refers to Lesson's species in these 

 words : — " Quid Lanius fuscatus, Lesson, ]\Ius. Paris, ex China : 

 luride fumigatus, alis caudaque brevioribus, sed I'ostro typico V 



Fortunately, the type-specimen came under the critical notice 

 of M. Pucheran. In that author's admirable paper on the 

 "Types Dentirostres " of the Paris Museum (Arch, du Mus. 

 vii. p. 368, 1854-1855) we find these remarks: — "Lanius 

 fuscatus. * * * Get individu m'est indique com me originaire 

 de Chine. Ses teintes sont bien noiratres, surtout sur les cotes et 

 en avant du cou. II y a une teinte rousse en dessus, en dedans 

 des tectrices alaires superieures. Cet exemplaire est de grande 

 taille comme le Lanius shach. Est-ce une variete melanienne ? 

 Est-ce un individu vraiment enfume ? Ce sont des questions 

 que I'avenir seul est appele a resoudre." These questions Mr. 

 Swinhoe has been able to answer. He does not regard it as a 

 melanism, and it really seems to be a good species. 



A specimen of this Shrike, preserved in the Leyden Museum, 

 appears also to have attracted the attention of Dr. Hartlaub ; 

 for, in a paper entitled " Zwei unbeschriebene Vogel des 

 Leydner Museums" (Journ. fiir Orn. 1855, pp. 361, 362), we 

 find that eminent ornithologist, under the name of " Lanius 

 lugubris, Temm.'', describing another specimen of the same 

 species in the following words : — " Supra obscure nigro-cine- 

 reus, tergo, uropygio et tectricibus caudse superioribus non- 

 nihil brunnescentibus ; alis, cauda, frontc, supcrciliis et capitis 

 lateribus nigris ; remigibus, gula et jugulo obscure fuscis ; 

 subtus fusco-cinerascens ; crisso et subcaudalibus brunniori^ 



