464 



outer pairs frequently suffused with rufous and the outer webs 

 entirely of this colour ; cheeks, chin, and throat white, blending 

 softly into the pale rufous of the breast ; middle of the abdomen 

 albescent ; remainder of lower plumage rather bright rufous. 



The young are barred both above and below with brown. 



Iris dull reddish brown ; eyelids pinkish plumbeous ; bill dark 

 horny black ; the base of the lower mandible and the gape fleshy 

 plumbeous ; mouth flesh-colour ; legs dark brown ; claws black. 



Length nearly 10; tail 5 ; wing 3'8 ; tarsus 1*2 ; bill from gape 1. 



The plumage of this species is very variable, especially with 

 regard to the extent and depth of tint of the grey on the back. 

 The reader is referred to Hume's excellent summary of the plumage 

 of this Shrike for fall particulars. The name L. nasutus, Scop., 

 by which I designated this species in the ' Birds of Barman,' 

 appears to be applicable to the race from the Philippine Islands 

 only, in which the grey of the back is very fully developed. 



Distribution. The Himalayas from Garhwal to Assam up to 

 about 5000 feet; the plains of India east of a line drawn from 

 Garhwal through Etawah, Eaipur, and Goomsur, from which latter 

 place Jerdon records this species ; Assam and the whole of the 

 tract south of this province down to Tenasserim, where Davison 

 procured specimens at various localities as far south as Kyikto near 

 Moulmein. 



This species extends into Siam and Cochin China. 



Habits, fyc. Breeds from May to September, constructing a nest 

 in bushes, hedges, and trees. The eggs, usually four in number, 

 measure about -92 by '75. 



476. Lanius erythronotus. The liufous-backed Shrike. 



Collimo erythronotus, Vigors, P. Z. 8. 1831, p. 42 ; Gould, Cent. 



pi. 12, fig. 2 ; Hume, N. $ E. p. 167. 

 Lanius caniceps, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xv, p. 302 (1846) ; id. Cat. 



p. 151 j Horsf. 8f M. Cut. i, p. 164 ; Hume, S. F. vii, p. 374 ; 



Legge, Birds Ceyl. p. 383 ; Hume, Cat. no. 257 bis ; Damson, S. 



F. x, p. 364 ; Gadow, Cat. B. M. viii, p. 265. 

 Collyrio caniceps (BlytJi), Hume, N. 8f E. p. 1C9. 

 Lanius erythronotus ( Vigors), Blyth, Cat. p. 151 ; Horsf. $ M. Cat. 



i, p. 164 ; Jerd. B. I. i, p. 402 ; Godw.-Amt. J. A. S. B. xxxix, 



pt. ii, p. 268 ; Hume 8? Headers. Lah. to Yark. pp. 166, 182 ; 



Ball, S. F. vii, p. 209 ; Hume, Cat. no. 257 ; Biddulph, Ibis, 1881, 



p. 51 j Scully 1 1bis, 1881, p. 433 ; Gadow, Cat. B. M. viii, p. 263 ; 



Barnes, Birds Bom. p. 143 ; Oates in Hume's N. fy E. 2nd ed. 



i, p. 318. 

 Lanius affinis, Legge, S. F. iv, p. 243 (1876). 



Mattiya latora, Kajala latora, Hind. ; Yerra belinchi, Tel. 



Coloration. Forehead and a broad band through the eye to the 

 ear-coverts deep black ; crown, nape, sides of neck, hind neck, and 

 upper back clear pale grey; scapulars, lower back, rump, and 

 upper tail-coverts ferruginous ; wing-coverts black, the larger 

 series tipped with pale rufous ; quills blackish, the primaries 



