LANIAlSriE, 403 



NeilgherrieSj more rare and only found in the better-wooded 

 portions of the Carnatic and Central India; and extending to 

 Sindh, the lower Himalayas, and part of Bengal, and Ceylon. It 

 affects jungly places, and hedge-rows and bushes in cultivated 

 spots near jungle. Mr. Philipps states that it is inferior in courage 

 to L. lalitora, and never attacks living birds. Its call, says he, is 

 a shrill single sound, generally repeated with one high and one 

 low note, like peeh peek. I have found its nest in low bushes 

 on the Neilgherries, very similar to that of the last. 



L. schach, L., (bentet, Horsf.) from Java and China, is very 

 like this, but is larger, and with the frontal band wider. 



258. Lanius tephronotus, Vigors. 



Collurio, apud Vigoes, P. Z. S., 1831— Blyth, Cat. 873— 

 Horsf., Cat. 217 — L. nipalensis, Hodgs. — Bhadraya oi the hills 

 of Nepal — Bagaha tentlia in the plains.— /Sa/i;n"^-p/ic>, Lepch.— 

 Totem, Bhot. 



The Grey-backed Shrike. 



Descr. — Head, nape, scapulars and back, dark ashy; the lower 

 back, and upper tail-coverts, slightly rufescent ; a very slender frontal 

 band (not always apparent there) extending through the eyes to the 

 middle of the neck, black ; wings and tail dusky brown, the tips 

 paler ; neck in front, breast, and middle of the abdomen, white ; 

 the sides of the breast and flanks, and lower part of the abdomen 

 and vent, ferruginous. The young (and perhaps the females) have 

 the sides of the neck, breast and flanks, edged with dusky ; the tail 

 brownish, and the wings dusky, edged with rufescent. 



Bill and legs black ; irides brown. 



Length 10 inches ; wing 4 ; extent 13 ; tail 4| ; bill at front nearly 

 I ; tarsus 1^. 



The Grey-backed Shrike is found throughout Lower Bengal, 

 thence extending to the Himalayas, from Nepal to Bootan, and east- 

 wards to Assam and Arakan. It is unknown in the south of India, 

 and in the Upper Provinces. Hodgson says it is common in the open 

 country in Nepal, in groves and gardens, during winter, but resorts 



