40: 
4 
Its eastern range extends far to the eastward of the Ural Mountains, as, according to Pallas, 
it is a common bird in the temperate parts of Siberia. 
In winter it migrates far into Southern Africa, following apparently the eastern coast. 
Mr. C. W. Wyatt, in his paper on the Birds of Sinai, says :— 
“T picked up a dead specimen of this species, April 1st, in Wady Lejah. It was evidently a 
last year’s bird. The dryness of the air would account for its preservation.” Mr. E. C. Taylor 
writes to us as follows :— 
“This Shrike I have never seen in Egypt, nor have I ever heard of its having been obtained 
by any one else. In Egypt the Shrikes are:—Lanius lahtora, which is resident throughout 
the winter, but not by any means common; Lanius auriculatus and L. nubicus, both of which 
are spring visitants, arriving in March, when they are very abundant; L. awriculatus I have found 
in very great numbers in the Delta towards the end of March.” 
Mr. Jesse obtained specimens of this species in Abyssinia in April, and Mr. Blanford in 
August, both doubtless on their migrations. Dr. von Heuglin says it is one of the common birds 
of passage in North-eastern Africa, and he found it in Egypt, Arabia, on the islands of the 
Red Sea, in Bogos Land, Abyssinia proper, Nubia, and southward into the districts of the Nile 
and Gazelle rivers. ‘They appear,’ he writes, “very early in August, both old and young 
birds together, and in March and April they return through Egypt. Whether single pairs 
breed here or not I cannot say with certainty; but I observed in the Delta and on Dalak, 
in the middle of August, young birds which were scarcely able to have undertaken a sea- 
voyage.” 
Dr. Kirk has obtained it at Shupanga, in the Shiré region. Mr. Ayres has sent it from 
Natal, where, he says, it is “ tolerably abundant the whole year round.” If this is really the case, 
then some few birds must remain in South Africa when the bulk of their number go northwards; 
and this would be a curious fact, as there is not the slightest doubt about the specific identity of 
the specimens killed in Europe and Southern Africa. 
Mr. Gurney sends us the accompanying note from the late Mr. C. J. Andersson’s MSS. now 
in his possession :— 
“ Lanius collurio visits Damaraland and Great Namaquaiand in the rainy season, and breeds 
about the river Okavango.” It has also been sent from Angola by Senhor Anchieta, who 
obtained it at Biballa and Caconda. 
Mr. Layard tells us that it is found throughout the eastern districts of the Cape Colony. 
He obtained it himself in the Blackwater round Eland’s Post, Alice, and the Kat-berg generally, 
also in the localities indicated by Levaillant, namely the Sunday and Zwartkop rivers, near Port 
Elizabeth. Mr. J.J. O'Reilly, one of his correspondents, forwarded it to him from Graaff Reinet. 
It does not appear in the western districts. 
That the present species, as first stated by Levaillant, breeds during its residence in South 
Africa is certain ; and Sharpe, in his recent review of Dr. von Heuglin’s ‘ Ornithologie Nordost- 
Afrika’s, was undoubtedly wrong in disbelieving this statement ; for not only does Mr. Andersson’s 
note above given afford direct confirmation of the fact, but our friend M. Jules Verreaux tells us 
that it breeds abundantly in Southern Africa; moreover he says it is a very common bird there 
at certain seasons, and he used to consider it a useful ally for the capture of insects, as by 
