LANIUS. 323 



Khandeish, says : — " A few pairs breed about Dhulia in June and 

 July." 



Mr. C. J. "W. Taylor records the following bote from Manzeera- 

 bad in Mysore : — " Plentiful all over the district. Breeding in 

 May ; eggs taken on the 7th." 



I have so fully described the eggs of L. lahtora, of which the 

 eggs of this present species are almost miniatures, that I need say 

 but little in regard to these. On the whole, the markings in this 

 species are, I think, feebler and less numerous than in L. lahtora • 

 and though this would not strike one in the comparison of a few 

 eggs in each, it is apparent enough when several hundreds of each 

 are laid side by side, four or five abreast, in broad parallel rows. 

 The ground-colour, too, in the egg of L. erytJironotus has seldom, 

 if ever, as much green in it, and has commonly more of the pale 

 creamy or pinky stone-colour than in the case of L. lahtora. 



In size the eggs of L. erythronotus appear to approach those of 

 the English Red-backed Shrike, though they average perhaps some- 

 what smaller. 



In leagth they vary from 0"85 to l - 05 inch, and in breadth from 

 0-65 to 0-77 inch, but the average of more than one hundred eggs 

 measured is 0-92 by 071 inch. 



Lanius caniceps. 



This closely allied species, the Pale Rufous-backed Shrike, breeds 

 only, so far as I yet know, in the Nilghiris, Palanis, &c. 



It lays from March to July, the majority, I think, breeding in 

 June. 



Its nest is very similar and is similarly placed to that of the 

 preceding, from which, if it differs at all, it only differs in being 

 somewhat smaller. 



It lays from four to six eggs, slightly more elongated ovals than 

 those of L. erythronotus, taken as a body, but not, in my opinion, 

 separable from these when mixed with a large number. 



Captain Hutton, however, does not concur in this : he remarks : — 

 " This species, which is very common in Afghanistan, occurs 

 also in the Doon and on the hills up to about 6000 feet. At Jeri- 

 panee I took a nest on the 21st June containing five eggs, of a 

 pale livid white colour, sprinkled with brown spots, chiefly collected 

 at the larger end, where, however, they cannot be said to form a 

 ring ; interspersed with these are other dull sepia spots appearing 

 beneath the shell. Diameter 0-94 by 0-69 inch, or in some rather 

 more. Shape rather tapering ovate. 



" The differences perceptible between this and the last are the 

 much smaller size of the spots and blotches, the latter, indeed, 

 scarcely existing, while in L. erythronotus they are large and 

 numerous ; there is great difference likewise in the shape of the 

 egg, those of the present species being less globular or more 

 tapering. The nest was found in a thick bush about 5 feet from 

 the ground, and was far more neatly made than that of the fore- 



21* 



