RED-BACKED SHRIKE. 175 



surface of tail-feathers brown, tinged with red ; the outer 

 edge of the web of each outside tail-feather dull white. 

 Chin dull white : under surface of the body and the sides 

 greyish white, crossed with greyish brown semilunar lines ; 

 abdomen and under tail-coverts, dull white ; under surface 

 of tail-feathers grey, tipped with dull white. The length 

 of the female described rather exceeded that of the male. 

 Young males are like adult females, but have the darker 

 semilunar marks on the back as well as on the breast. 



Some particulars in reference to the plumage of this 

 Shrike deserve here to be noticed. Mr. Hoy * says, " I 

 have a female bird of the Red-backed species, in the full 

 garb of the adult male. I had found the nest, and ob- 

 served near the spot apparently two male birds : not being 

 able to discover the female, I was induced to shoot both ; 

 and, on dissection, one proved the female, with the eggs 

 much enlarged, and one nearly ready for exclusion. I 

 mention this circumstance, as this change of plumage in 

 some species has been attributed to barrenness." Mr. 

 Blyth has met with almost a similar example, which is 

 noticed as follows :f " The first individual that came under 

 my inspection this season was a very remarkable bird : it 

 was a female, partly in the male plumage ; but the ovaries 

 were perfect, and contained eggs ; and it was in company 

 with a partner of the other sex at the time it was shot." 



Knowing that the adult female of the Grey Shrike, and 

 that of the Woodchat Shrike, next to be described, closely 

 resemble their respective males, except that their plumage 

 is less brilliant, may we not conclude that the really old 

 female of the Red-backed Shrike also resembles the male, 

 but does not acquire that state of plumage in any single 

 year, nor until after having moulted several times ? Though 

 not believed formerly, it is now very well known that 

 * Mag. Nat. Hist. vol. iv. p. 344. t Ib. vol. viii. p. 364. 



