LANIAN^S. 143 



GENUS, Lanius, Lin. (in part) 



Bill short, strongly hooked and toothed, much compressed 5 

 rictal bristles numerous, rather weak ; wings moderate ; third and 

 fourth quills about equal and longest ; tail somewhat long, 

 graduated ; tarsus short ; feet short, but strong. 



Lanius lahtora, Sykes. 



256. Jerdon's Birds of India, Vol. I, p. 400 ; Butler, Guzerat ; 



Stray Feathers, Vol. Ill, p. 462 ; Deccan, Stray Feathers, Vol. IX, 

 p. 39 1 ; Murray's Vertebrate Zoology of Sind, p. 120 ; Swinhoe and 



Barnes, Central India ; Ibis, 1885, p. 64. 



THE INDIAN GREY SHRIKE. 

 Dudeya Latora and Sufaid Latora, Hin. 



Length, 9'5 to 10 ; wing, 4'25 ; tarsus, M2 ; bill at front, 0'62. 



Bill black ; irides hazel-brown ; legs brown-black. 



Pale blue-grey ; a very narrow frontal streak, continued 

 through the eyes to the nape ; the wings and middle tail-feathers 

 black ; a large band on the wings, formed by a broad band 

 occupying two-thirds of all the primaries, and the outer webs and 

 tips of the secondaries ; the margins of the scapulars, the two 

 external tail-feathers on each side, and the tips of the two follow- 

 ing white ; also all the lower plumage. 



The Indian Grey Shrike is generally distributed throughout the 

 province, but is less common perhaps in the more hilly districts. 

 It is a permanent resident and breeds from February to July, 

 but most nests are found in March, April and May. The nest 

 is large, compact and cup-shaped, and is composed of twigs, coarse 

 grass, pieces of rag, &c., lined with finer grass roots. It is general- 

 ly placed in the centre of a dense thorny bush or small tree. 

 The eggs, generally four in number, occasionally five, are broad 

 ovals, pointed at one end, of a delicate greenish-white color, spot- 

 ted and blotched with yellowish, reddish, or purplish brown. The 

 markings are more numerous at the larger end, sometimes form- 

 ing a zone or cap* They measure about an inch in length by 

 079 in breadth. 



Lanius erythronotus. Via. 



257. Jerdon's Birds of India, Vol. I, p. 402 ; Butler, Guzerat ; 



Stray Feathers, Vol. Ill, p. 463 ; Deccan, Stray Feathers, Vol. IX, 



p. 392 ; Murray's Vertebrate Zoology of Sind, p. 121 ; Swinhoe 



and Barnes, Central India ; Ibis 1885, p. 64. 

 THE RUFOUS-BACKED SHRIKE. 

 Mattiya Latora, Hin. 



Length, 10 ; wing, 3'5 to 375 ; tail, 4'5 to 5 ; tarsus, 112. 



Bill black ; irides dark brown ; legs black. 



Head above, and nape, and upper part of back, pure ashy ; narrow 

 frontaPstreak, continued through the eyes to the end 01 the ear- 

 coverts, black ; scapulars, lower back, rump, and upper tail-coverts 



