LANlUti -231 



341. AMERICAN GREY SHRIKE. 

 LANIUS BOREALIS. 



Lanius borealis, VieilL, Ois. Am. p. 90, pi. i. (1807) ; And. B. Araer, iv. 

 p. 130, pi. 236 ; Gadow, Cat. B. Br. Mus. viii. p. 240 ; Dresser, 

 Ibis, 1892 p. 377 ; Ridgway, p. 466, L. major, Pall. Zoogr. Ross. As. 

 i. p. 401 (1811) ; Tacz. F. 0. Sib. 0. p. 487; Gadow, Cat. B. Br. 

 Mus. vii. p. 239. 



< ad. (E. Siberia). Differs from L. excubitor in" having as a irule less 

 white on the wing, forming only one speculum, the under parts barred 

 with narrow transverse vermiculations, and the grey is often tinged with 

 brown. 



Hob. Kamchatka, Siberia from the Yenesei to the Pacific; 

 North America from California to the Atlantic coast, in winter 

 south to the Potomac and Ohio valleys. 



I do not find that this species occurs in Europe proper. The 

 Siberian bird is often less brown in tinge than the American 

 and Prof. Bogdanoff (Sorokop. Russk. Faun. p. 102) makes two 

 subspecies L. borealis sibiricus and L. borealis americamis, but I 

 cannot agree with him that there is any valid distinction 

 between them, and his L. borealis europceus (Op. cit. p. 103) I 

 consider to be merely a variety of L. excubitor having a single 

 alar bar or speculum. 



In general habits and in nidification the present species does 

 not differ from L. excubitor, and its nest and eggs closely 

 resemble those of that species. 



Lanius seebohmi Gadow (Cat. B. Br. Mus, viii. p. 243) of 

 which only the type from the valley of the Amoor is known, is a 

 very doubtful species, differing from the present in having a 

 narrow black frontal band, much less white on the tail, and 

 the under parts dull white. It has also only one alar bar. 

 Its measurements are, culmen 0*85, wing 4*8, tail 4*7, tarsus 

 1-15 inch. 



342. MONGOLIAN GREY SHRIKE. 

 LANIUS MOLLIS. 



Lanius mollis, Eversm. Bull. Soc. Nat. Mosc. xxvi. p. 498 (1853) ; 

 Bogdanoff, Sorokop. Kussk. Faun. p. 97 (partim) ; Gadow, Cat. B. 

 Br. Mus. viii. p. 241. 



Ad. (Mongolia). Resembles tawny 'specimens of L. borealis, but has 

 the upper and under tail-coverts sandy buff, and the rump fulvous ; wing 

 with a single alar bar. Culmen 0*9, wing 470, tail 4*65, tarsus I'l inch. 



