234 LANIUS 



Hal. Central Asia, from the Caspian east to Ordos and 

 Alashan, not ranging as far south as India. 



This, a desert form of L. elegans, does not differ from that 

 species in general habits, but inhabits bush-covered, sandy, 

 stony, and clayey deserts, feeding on insects and small birds 

 and mammals, possibly also on lizards. It breeds from April to 

 June placing its nest in bushes, constructing it of twigs, grass- 

 bents, and lining it with wool. The eggs are greenish grey 

 with light grey spots which are more numerous round the 

 larger end. 



347. FIXSCH'S GREY SHRIKE. 



LANIUS FALLAX; 



Lan'ms fallax, Finsch, Trans. Zool. Soc. vii. p. 249, pi. xxv. (1872) ; 

 Gadow, Cat. B. Br. Mus. viii. p. 247, pi. viii ; Dresser, ix. p. 163 ; 

 L. uncinatus, Sclater and Hartl., P.Z.S. 1881, p. 168. 



Abou-seround, Booras, Arabic. 



<$ ad. (Gennesareth). Differs from L. elegans in having the upper 

 parts much darker grey ; under parts white washed with grey, the white 

 alar patch small, the inner webs of the secondaries chiefly blackish, the 

 lesser wing-coverts black, slightly intermixed with grey ; an indistinct 

 white superciliary stripe ; black frontal line very narrow or obsolete. 

 Culmen 0'85, wing 4-25, tail 4'3, tarsus 1'25 inch. 



Hob. Canary Islands, N. E. Africa, Palestine, Mesopotamia, 

 Muscat, east to Afghanistan, Baluchistan, possibly to the 

 Deccan. 



In general habits it does not differ from L. elegans. It 

 breeds in March or April, placing its nest on a bush. The nest 

 is constructed chiefly of thorny twigs, grass-bents, and roots, 

 well lined with wool and grass, and the eggs, from 4 to 5, are 

 dull light stone-grey with purplish brown shell-markings and 

 dull liver-brown or nut-brown surface-spots and blotches. 



348. SOUTHERN GREY SHRIKE. 

 LANIUS MERIDIONALIS. 



Lanius meridionalis, Temm., Man. d'Orn. i. p. 143, (1820) ; Gould, 

 B. of E. ii. pi. 67 ; Dresser, iii. p. 387, pi. 147 ; Gadow, Cat. B. 

 Br. Mns. viii. p. 246. 



Alcandon real, Span. ; Picanso, Portug. 



