1920.] Birds of Qiietla. 151 



low tliorii Implies. Both clutclie.s were greenish white witli 

 a ring of red-brown unci purple spots ut the larger end. 



L. c isabellinvs Hemp. & Ehr. 



A fairly common hird of passage on both migrations, more 

 so in the spring than in autumn, being commonest in (he 

 first half of March. The various reports of this race breeding 

 in the Quetta hills have undoubtedly arisen from a confusion 

 between isabeJVinns 'xniX jJiwnivuroides. 



Fivci obtained between 3. iii. and 24. iii. 



Lanius scha^ch. 



/y. .S-. er//t/iri»iotus (Vig.). 



A connnon summer visitor to the Qiieita Plains, nesting 

 freely in gardens and orchards. It commences to arrive 

 about l.iv., and had disappeared by iU.viii. The adults 

 were the Hrst to leave, and wei'e followed a few d;iys later by 

 the young, departures being made during darkness. 



Eleven nests with eggs were found between l(S.iv. and 

 19. v., the full clutches of four and tive only after the 1st of 

 May. Eggs are laid at an interval of forty-eight hours. 

 All the nests were loose, clumsy, cup-shaped structures of 

 grass, leaves, and twigs, with bits of rag, string or leaves 

 inserted. Four were in peach trees, one in a plum tree, 

 three in a[)ricot trees, three in rose hedges, and one in a vine 

 against a house. Eggs greenish or creamy white, with 

 red-brown blotches and spots, more numerous at the base. 

 Average of ten eggs : '9;} by '71 inch. 



The first young in nest were found on 26. v., and others 

 in early June. 



These large Shrikes have insatiable appetites, and the 

 family habit of slaughtering in excess of requirements is 

 carried to an extreme. One "larder" contained a nestlino' 

 sparrow, the head of another small bird, eight beetles, and 

 a piece of rag. Another contained three dragon-fli(.'s, four 

 beetles, a butterfly, and two grasshoppers. 



Boinbycilla garrulus. 



yi. y. centralasid' Polj. (= Anipelis garruhis auct.) 

 One of a pair was shot on 11. xi. No others were seen. 



