160 ALLEN'S NATURALIST'S LIBRARY. 



guish the True Shrikes, as far as the European species have to 

 be considered. There are about fifty species of Lanius, and 

 these are found over the greater part of Europe and Asia, 

 Africa, North America, and the northern parts of Central 

 America. The Grey Shrikes constitute a well-marked section 

 of the genus, and the parti-coloured Shrikes another section. 

 In this work are enumerated five British species, three be- 

 longing to the grey section of the genus, and two to the parti- 

 coloured section. 



THE LESSER GREY SHRIKE. LANIUS MINOR. 



Lanius minor, Gm., S. N., i., p. 308(1788); Newt. ed. Varr., 

 i., p. 205 (1872); Dresser, B. Eur., Hi., p. 393, pi. 149 

 (1872); Seeb., Br. B., i., p. 603 (1883); B. O. U. List 

 Br. B., p. 38 (1883) ; Gadow, Cat. B. Brit. Mus., viii., p. 

 235 (1883) ; Saunders, Man., p. 141 (1889); Lilford, Col. 

 Fig. Br. B., pt. xv. (1890). 



Adult Male. General colour above clear blue-grey or slaty- 

 blue, the scapulars like the back; wings black, the lesser wing- 

 coverts ashy-grey, with a large patch of white at the base of the 

 primaries, forming a big speculum ; tail-feathers black, the four 

 centre ones not tipped with white, the next pair on each side 

 white at the base and having a white spot at the tip, the two 

 outer tail-feathers entirely white with a blackish shaft-streak ; 

 head slaty-blue like the back ; a broad frontal band, feathers 

 round the eye and the ear-coverts, black ; cheeks and threat 

 white, as well as the abdomen and under tail-coverts ; the 

 breast and sides of the body delicate rosy pink ; under wing- 

 coverts and axillaries whitish, ashy on their inner webs ; the 

 quill-lining white, with a dusky patch near the edge of the 

 wing, formed by the dark lower primary coverts ; bill and feet 

 black ; iris brown. Total length, 8*5 inches ; wing, 4*6 ; cul- 

 men, 0-65 ; tail, 3-2 ; tarsus, ro. 



Adult Female. Scarcely to be distinguished from the male, but 

 having the frontal band less broad and pronounced. Total 

 length, 8-5 inches ; wing, 47. 



Young. Differs from the adults in being browner, the upper 

 surface being brownish-grey, freckled with a few cross-lines of 

 blackish or dusky-brown on the head and back ; the lores and 



