1870. ] ON EUROPEAN SHRIKES. 593 
reasonable to suppose that Pallas had good grounds for the separa- 
tion of his Z. major ; and the subject is well worth the investigation 
of ornithologists. _We may be allowed to draw particular attention 
to the stress which Pallas lays on the conspicuous cross-barring, 
which forms so distinctive a character in Lanius borealis. 
Radde (Reis. Siid-Ost Sib. ii. p. 274) refers to Lanius major of 
Pallas, which he considers to be only L. excubitor. We do not think 
he is right here ; for apparently he had no specimens from the locality 
where Pallas obtained his bird, and this must be an absolute condi- 
tion for the correct settlement of the question. Von Schrenk never 
mentions it; and we consider that our suggestion recorded above will 
very probably be confirmed by future observation. 
3. LANIUS ALGERIENSIS. 
Lanius algeriensis, Less. Rev. Zool. 1839, p. 134; Bonap. Rev. 
et Mag. de Zool. 1853, p. 293; Tristr. Ibis, 1859, p. 159; Salv. 
Ibis, 1859, p. $12; Taczan. J. f. O. 1870, p. 48. 
Lanius meridionalis, Malh. Cat. Rais. Ois. de Algérie, p. 9 
(1846) ; Drake, Ibis, 1867, p. 425. 
Above dark blue-grey, the edge of the scapulars white ; least 
wing-coverts grey, the rest jet-black ; primaries black, white at the 
base, forming a very distinct white speculum, the secondaries paler 
on the inner web, conspicuously tipped with white ; tail black, the 
middle feathers just tipped with white, the others black at the base, 
but the white predominating towards the external feathers ; a narrow 
line over the forehead, loral space and ear-coverts black ; entire 
under surface grey, paler on the throat and just under the ear-coverts ; 
under wing- and tail-coverts whitish ; bill and feet black. 
Although closely allied to Lanius excubitor and Lanius meri- 
dionalis, there is no doubt that the present species is quite distinet 
from both. The bill is slightly shorter and stouter than in either of 
these Jast-named species ; and the general appearance is such that we 
had no difficulty in distinguishing old and young specimens of Lanius 
algeriensis when mixed indiscriminately with a series of twenty 
specimens of Lantus excubitor of all ages. The back of the present 
bird is very much darker than that of any Lanius excubitor, while 
the uniform light plumbeous colour of the underparts effectually 
distinguishes it. 
The differences between Lanius algeriensis and Lanius meridio- 
nalis we have pointed out in treating of the latter bird. 
We have quoted but very few references for this species, as so 
much confusion has existed with regard to its distinctness from L. 
meridionalis and L. dealbatus; but there is no doubt that Dr. 
Tristram and Mr. Salvin (/. c.) refer to the true L. a/geriensis, as 
their remarks respecting the geographical distribution of the species 
in Algeria are fully borne out by the investigation of subsequent ob- 
servers. ‘The present bird seems to be a resident species in Algeria. 
Herr L. Taczanowski (/. ¢.) states that L. algeriensis is very 
common on a large plain near the Fezzara Lake. In suitable localities 
it is found ou the northern slope of the Atlas. 
