GREAT CINEREOUS SHRIKE. 537 



dorsal outline a little arched, the tip declinate, the edges sharp and in- 

 flected towards the strong process, which is separated from the tip by a 

 deep sinus ; lower mandible with the dorsal line convex, the sides rounded, 

 the edges inflected, the acute tip ascending. Nostrils basal, lateral, half 

 closed by an arched membrane. Head large, neck short, body robust. 

 Feet of ordinary length ; tarsus rather short, compressed, anteriorly scu- 

 tellate, sharp behind ; toes five, the lateral ones nearly equal, the hind toe 

 stouter ; claws arched, compressed, acute. 



Plumage soft, blended. Long bristles at the base of the bill. Wings 

 of ordinary length, the fourth quill longest, third little shorter, second 

 shorter than sixth, first about half the length of second; secondaries 

 rounded, with a minute tip. Tail long, straight, graduated, of twelve 

 rounded feathers. 



Bill brownish-black at the end, paler towards the base, the edges of 

 both mandibles and the basal part of the lower, flesh-colour tinged with 

 yellow. Iris hazel. Feet brownish-black. The upper parts are light 

 ash-grey, the ends of the scapulars, and tlie rump feathers and upper 

 tail-coverts, greyish-white ; a streak of the same colour over the eye ; the 

 lore and ear-coverts brownisla-black. The first row of smaller wing-coverts, 

 the primary and secondary coverts, and the quills, brownish-black ; the 

 latter, especially the secondary quills, as well as their coverts, tipped with 

 white. Base of the primaries white, forming a conspicuous spot on the 

 wing. Tail-feathers brownish-black ; outer web of the outermost, with 

 more than a third of the inner web from the tip, white ; the extremities 

 of all the rest, excepting the two middle, of the same colour, which gra- 

 dually occupies less extent on the inner feathers. The whole under 

 surface greyish-white, tinged with brown on the fore part of the breast, 

 which is transversely marked with faint undulating bars of dark grey, as 

 are the sides. 



Length 10^ inches, extent of wings 14 ; bill along the back I, along 

 the edge of lower mandible l/g ; tarsus 1^^. 



Adult Female. Plate CXCII. Fig. 2. 



The female differs from the male only in having the head and neck 

 slightly tinged with brown, the band before the eye obscure^ and the un- 

 der parts with more numerous undulated lines. 



Adult Male in summer. Plate CXCIL Fig. 3, 



