150 LESSER GREY SHRIKE. 
valley of the Rhone and Provence. It is common in Italy, Sicily, 
Dalmatia, Greece, Turkey, Asia Minor and Palestine, where it 
frequents the outskirts of cultivation on the lower grounds, but does 
not ascend to the elevated regions. In all the above countries it is 
only known in summer or on migration ; and its winter-quarters- 
appear to be in South Africa. In Asia it is found from Persia to 
Omsk in 57° N. lat., and eastward to Lake Zaisan in long. 84°E. It 
arrives in Germany between April 24th and May 7th, remaining till 
between August 18th and September roth (Dr. Rey) ; but in south- 
eastern Europe it stays until October. 
The nest, commenced about the middle of May, is generally 
placed at least ten feet from the ground, in an oak, wild pear or 
crab, and in Greece frequently in an olive-tree. It is composed 
of twigs, dry roots, aromatic field-flowers and green grasses, with a 
lining of wool, hair and feathers ; the eggs, 5—7 in number, are pale 
bluish-green, blotched with olive-brown and ash-colour: measure- 
ments ‘98 by ‘77 in. Incubation, shared by both sexes, lasts fifteen 
days, and during the breeding-season the birds are very pugnacious, 
driving even Crows and Magpies from the vicinity of their nest. 
Like most Shrikes, this species is fond of perching on the topmost 
branch of a tree or other elevated position, whence it darts with 
rapidity upon its prey, sometimes gliding with extended wings 
for a short distance. Its food consists of beetles and other 
insects, seldom impaled on thorns, but devoured while held in the 
bird’s foot: in the season, however, cherries, figs and other fruits 
are eaten. The note is described by Naumann as a harsh #7ack, 
kjack, but the song of other birds is often imitated. 
Adult male: forehead, line above the eye and ear-coverts black ; 
cheeks white ; nape and back grey, rump rather paler ; wing-feathers 
black, slightly tipped with white on the secondaries, and with white 
bases to the primaries, forming a broad single bar ; central tail- 
feathers black except at their bases ; in the others the bases and tips 
are white, which gradually encroaches upon the black until the outer 
pair are entirely white ; under parts white, suffused with a rosy blush 
on the breast and flanks; bill, legs and feet blackish. Length 8°5 in.; 
wing 4°6 in. The female and the immature male have less black on 
the forehead. The young bird—the upper figure in the woodcut— 
has no dark frontal band, and the under parts are dull yellowish- 
white, mottled with grey transverse lines. This species may be 
distinguished from all other Grey Shrikes by its wing formula ; 
the 1st or bastard primary being very short, while the 2nd nearly 
equals the 3rd and longest primary. 
