248 LANIUS TELEPHONUS 



Frequents bush-covered plains, vineyards, and graveyards 

 planted with tall cypresses, and is somewhat shy and retiring 

 in its general habits. It feeds entirely on insects, chiefly 

 coleoptera, and is said to utter a melodious but somewhat 

 monotonous song, not unlike that of Hypolais olivetorum. It 

 breeds in May and June, placing its nest in a tree in the centre 

 of upright half dry boughs in such a manner that it is covered 

 from above by a branch or pendant leaves, or else in the 

 summit of a tree. The nest is compactly and closely con- 

 structed of fine roots and grass-bents, interwoven with threads, 

 rags, etc., and lined with finer rootlets. The eggs, 6 or 7 in 

 number, are dull greenish buff spotted with dull brown or 

 umber-brown, the markings frequently collected so as to form a 

 wreath round the larger end. In size they average about 0'9 

 by 0-63. 



TELEPHONUS, Swains., 1831. 

 371. HOODED SHRIKE. 



TELEPHONUS CUCULLATUS. 



Tehphonus cucullatus (Temm.), Man. d'Orn. iv. p. 600 (1840) ; Gadow, 

 Cat. B. Br. Mus. viii. p. 126 ; L. tchagra, Schlegel, Rev. Grit, 

 p. xxi. (1844) ; L. eryihropterus (nee. [Shaw), Dresser, iii. p. 423, 

 pi. 154. 



Abermat, Moorish. 



$ ad. (Morocco). Crown, nape, and a stripe from base of the bill through 

 the eye beyond the ear-coverts glossy black ; a broad superciliary stripe 

 white, tinged with ochreous isabelline ; sides of the face and upper parts - 

 greyish ashy brown, greyer on the rump ; wings and tail black, the former 

 with broad chestnut-red external margins ; tail graduated, the central 

 rectrices brownish black, obsoletely barred ; all the feathers broadly tipped 

 with white ; upper throat and middle of abdomen whitish ; rest of under 

 parts dark ashy grey ; bill black ; legs plumbeous ; iris brown. Culmen 

 I'O, wing 3-55, tail 4*9, tarsus 1*3 inch. Sexes alike. The young bird has 

 the crown mixed with brown and the black streak through the eye is less 

 distinct. 



Hob. Algeria and Morocco, and is said to have occurred in 

 Spain. 



Frequents bushy localities, and forests near the coast, and 

 unlike the true Shrikes when pursued it runs from bush to 

 bush, hides in the dense thickets, and does not take flight. 

 It feeds on insects of various kinds and their larvae, which 



