LAOTTS. 325 



common bird in the Palani hills, found everywhere and breeding 

 freely. 



Mr. H. Parker, writing from Ceylon, says : " A pair of these 

 Shrikes reared three clutches of young in my compound (two of 

 them out of one nest) from December to May, inclusive; but this 

 must be abnormal breeding." 



Colonel Legge writes in his ' Birds of Ceylon ' : " This bird 

 breeds in the Jaffna district and on the north-west coast from 

 February until May. Mr. Holdsworth found its nest in a thorn- 

 bush about 6 feet high, near the compound of his bungalow, in 

 the beginning of February .... Layard speaks of the young 

 being fledged in June at Point Pedro, and says that it builds in 

 Euphorbia-trees in that district." 



The eggs of this species, sent me by Captain Hutton from the 

 Doon and by numerous correspondents from the JNilghiris, are un- 

 distiuguishable from many types of L. erythronotus, and indeed the 

 birds are so closely allied that this was only to be expected. It is 

 unnecessary to describe these at length, as my description of the 

 eggs of L. erythronotus applies equally to these. 



In size the eggs, however, vary less and average longer than 

 those of this latter species. In length they range from 0-93 to 

 1 inch, and in breadth from O7 to 0'72 inch, but the average of 

 twenty was 0-95 by 0-7 inch. 



477. Lanius tephronotus (Vigors). The Grey-backed Shrike. 



Lanius tephronotus (Vig.), Jerd. B. Ind. i, p. 403. 



Collyrio tephronotus, Vigors, Hume, Rough Draft N. 8f E. no. 258. 



As far as I yet know, the Grey-backed Shrike breeds, within 

 our limits, only in the Himalayas, and chiefly in the interior, at 

 heights of from 5000 to 8000 feet above the sea-level. In the 

 interior of Sikhiin, in the Sutlej Valley near Chini, in Lahoul, and 

 well up the valley of the Beas, they are pretty common during the 

 summer; they lay from May to July, and the young are about by 

 the end of July or the early part of August. I have never seen 

 a nest, although I have had eggs and birds sent me from both Sik- 

 hiin and the Sutlej Valley. There were only two eggs in each case, 

 but doubtless, like other Shrikes, they lay from four to six. 



Mr. Blanford remarks that L. tephronotus was " common at Lac- 

 hung, in Sikhim, 8000 to 9000 feet, in the beginning of Septem- 

 ber, but three weeks later all had disappeared. Many of those 

 seen were in young plumage, with hair on the breast, back, and 

 scapulars." 



Colonel C. H. T. Marshall records from Murree : " This species 

 much resembles L. erythronotus, but the eggs differ considerably, 

 being more creamy white, blotched and spotted (more particularly 

 at the larger end) with pale red and grey. They are the same size 

 as those of the preceding species. Lays in the beginning of July 

 at the same elevation as L. erythronotus" 



As to the size I cannot concur with the above. 



