The Great Grey Shrike 

 (Lanius Excubitor). 



THE shrikes are generally of a size and form exhibiting 

 a moderate degree of strength, and do not show 

 any indications of raptorial disposition, except 

 in the strong and toothed form of the bill ; and in many 

 of the species, the centre feathers of the tail being longest, 

 an elegance and lightness to their shape and figure is 

 imparted, at variance with the powerful form necessary 

 for contest. 



The Common Grey Shrike is perfectly typical in its 

 form, and will rank among the larger species of the genus. 

 In length it is about nine inches, appearing more graceful 

 from the graduated form of the tail, though it is in reality 

 a firmly and compactly made bird. 



In the old male the upper parts are of a chaste and clear 

 pearl-grey, while the whole of the under parts are pure 

 white ; these tints are beautifully broken and contrasted by 

 the deep black of the greater portion of the wings and tail, 

 and by the marking of the same colour which appears 

 on the forehead, the lores, and on the auriculars; on the 

 latter there is an oval patch resembling in form and situa- 

 tion the distribution of the darker shades on these parts of 

 the falconidae. 



The wings have the base of the primaries white, forming 

 a triangular mark on these parts, and the exterior tail 

 feathers, with the tips of all the rest, except the two in the 

 centre, the space widening to the outside, are of the same 

 pure tint. The female has the colours in general duller, 

 and the breast is undulated with narrow dusky transverse 

 bars. 



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