LANIUS 235 



(J ad. (Spain). Upper parts very dark plumbeous ; wings black ; the 

 inner primaries and secondaries tipped with white ; inner webs of 

 secondaries narrowly margined with white ; middle tail-feathers black, 

 the outer black at the base, otherwise white, the outermost almost entirely 

 white ; the white alar patch very small ; a distinct white superciliary line ; 

 no frontal black band ; under parts vinous pink ; bill and legs black ; 

 iris brown. Culmen 0'75, wing 4'1, tail 4*5, tarsus 1*15 inch. Sexes 

 alike. The young bird is much duller in colour, the throat and abdomen 

 are dingy white, the rest of the under parts dull vinous. 



Hob. Spain, Portugal, and the south of France. 



Like its allies it frequents bush-covered plains and does not 

 differ from them in its general habits. Its nest is placed on a bush 

 or low tree, and resembles that of L. excubitor. The eggs usually 

 4 or 5 in number are deposited late in April or early in May and 

 are greyish white thickly covered with purplish grey shell- 

 markings and rich dark nut-brown surface-spots and blotches, 

 measuring about 1'8 by 0*77. Compared with eggs of L. 

 excubitor the markings are more profuse and more generally 

 scattered over the surface of the egg. 



349. ALGERIAN GREY SHRIKE. 

 LANIUS ALGERIENSIS. 



Lanius algeriensis, Lesson. Rev. Zool. 1839, p. 134 ; Dresser, iii. p. 391, 

 pi. 148 ; Gadow, Cat. B. Br. Mus. viii. p. 244. 



Tdw-sidi-sliman, Arabic. 



g ad. (Algeria). Eesembles L. meridionalis differing in having the 

 under parts dark grey, not vinous, and having no white superciliary stripe, 

 but a narrow black frontal line. Culmen 0'85, wing 4*25, tail 4*7, tarsus 

 1-2 inch. 



Hob. Morocco, Algeria, and Tunis, but not south of the Atlas 

 range. 



In habits it does not differ from its congeners. It breeds in 

 April or May, placing its nest in a bush or low tree. The nest 

 is constructed of twigs, and lined with wool, feathers, and rags. 

 The eggs, usually 4 in number, are pale isabelline with ashy 

 shell-markings and liver-brown surface-spots and blotches, and 

 measure about 0*95 by 0'6. 



