1888.] MR. DRESSER ON A NEW SPECIES OF SHRIKE. 291 



June 5, 1888. 



Prof. Flower, C.B., LL.D., F.R.S., President, iu the Chair. 



The registered additions to the Society's Menagerie during the 

 month of May were 144 in numher. Of these 55 were acquired by 

 presentation, 37 by purchase, 2 by exchange, 30 on deposit, and 20 

 by birth. The total number of dej^artures during the same period, 

 by death and removals, was 113. 



Mr. H. E. Dresser exhibited an example of a new species of 

 Shrike from the Transcaspian district, and made the following 

 remarks : — 



" Dr. Gustaf Radde has lately sent to me for examination and 

 comparison a small but interesting collection of birds made by 

 him during his late trip in the Transcasj)ian district ; and amongst 

 other rarities I find a Shrike which is certainly new, and which I 

 propose to name Lanius raddei, after its discoverer. It belongs to 

 the group of small Shrikes which have been separated by Bonaparte 

 under the generic title of Otomela, but differs from all of them in 

 approaching Lanius excubitor aud its allies in general tone of colour. 

 General colour above bluish grey, much lighter and clearer on the 

 crown aud forehead, the lower portion of the mantle washed with 

 pale brownish biiflF ; wings dull blackish, the secondaries narrowly 

 margined with dull white ; alar patch very small ; central tail-feathers 

 hlack, the outermost rectrix on each side white, but with a black line 

 along the shaft which broadens considerably towards the tip, the next 

 two with much more black towards the tip ; a narrow line over the 

 forehead and a broad streak extending through the eye and over the 

 ear-coverts deep black, bordered above with white ; chin, throat, and 

 entire underparts, with the under wing-coverts, pure white ; bill and 

 feet black. Total length about 6'75 inches, culmen 0'6, wing 3'55, 

 tail 3-2, tarsus 09. 



" Although differing so much in coloration from Lanius vittatvs, 

 for it lacks the broad black frontal band, the maroon on the mantle, 

 and the rufous flanks, yet in many respects L. raddei approaches 

 nearest to that sjiecies, of which it may be called a pale grey form. 

 The specimen in question was obtained at Kulkulais, on the 24th 

 August, 1886 (old style), and is a male, and apparently an old one." 



Mr. Sclater, on the part of Mr. F. ]\I. Campbell, F.Z.S., exhi- 

 bited a pair of Pallas's Sand-Grouse {Syrrhaytes paradoxus^, shot 

 at Gepps Farm, between Hoddesden and Hertford, at 6 p.m. on May 

 20th, 1888, and made remaiks on the numerous recent occurrences 

 of this species in Western Europe. Mr. Sclater also stated that a 

 living specimen of this bird had just been received by the Society, 

 presented by H. Hewat Crane, Esq., of West Foulden, Berwick-on- 

 Tweed, having been captured at that ])lace on May 28th. 



The Secretary exhibited, on behalf of Prof. R. CoUett, C.M.Z.S. 



