338 ZOOLOGY. 



and compared them with his fine series of L. lahtora, 

 tells me that the only difference he can discover is that 

 in the fallax race the secondaries are white-tipped and 

 have the basal half of the inner web white, as in L. excu- 

 bitor ; whilst in L. lahtora of India, the whole inner 

 web of the secondaries is white. Further examination of 

 specimens from intermediate localities will b^ necessary. 

 Lanius fallax was abundant on the shores of Annesley 

 Bay in January and February. It is evidently migra- 

 tory there, for it had disappeared in May. I again 

 obtained specimens near Massowa in August. 



82. L. humeralis, Stanley. 



Stanley, in Salt's Voyage, App. p. li. 

 L. fiscus, Cabanis, Mus. Hein. i. p. 74. 

 Abyssinian Shrike, Latham, Gen. Hist. Birds, ii. p. 33. 

 Laniarius collaris, Eiipp. Syst. Uebers. No. 230. — Ferr. et Gal. 

 No. 52. 



Iris dark brown, pupil large. 



Very common throughout the highlands, and seen as 

 low down as the Anseba valley, where, however, it is rare. 

 It is a true Shrike in all its habits, and has none of the 

 skulking, hiding manner of the bush Shrikes. Eiippell 

 was certainly in error in calling it Laniarius. It is 

 usually seen sitting on the tops of bushes, and then 

 pouncing down upon insects. 



It breeds in the rainy season. I shot a female con- 

 taining a completely developed egg on July 18th. The 

 egg was of a bluish green colour. 



The most conspicuous distinction between this race 

 and the Cape L. collaris, L., is that the Abyssinian bird 

 has the breast pure white, whilst in the southern form 



