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procure this Shrike on the Atrek River in July, during the breeding-season. I also observed it 

 at this season at Mangislak and in the northern portion of Oust-Ourta, thence along the 

 southern course of the Amu-Darja to the limits of the province of Bokhara. The desert of 

 Kizil-Koum affords the most favourable conditions for the nidification of this species, yet I never 

 saw it there. According to Severtzoff it breeds in the Syr-Darja region within the low valley 

 belt to an altitude of 300 m., and is only found in higher altitudes during passage. Russoff met 

 with it on the 21st February, 1878, near Tashkend, and on the 21st March near Tschinas. 

 Prjevalsky brought an adult female from Alashan, and states that it occurs in Ordos and 

 Alashan and frequents bushy localities. This shows that Lanius grimmi inhabits sandy and 

 clayey deserts covered with thorns and other bushes. It is not known how far to the west it 

 occurs, but it neither inhabits the Caucasus nor the black-earth region. It breeds in the Aralo- 

 Caspian region and is migratory, but the time when it migrates is not known." 



To this I may add that further research, since Professor BogdanofF wrote the above, tends 

 to show that the present species occurs as far west as the Caucasus, for Dr. Radde obtained a 

 Shrike on the 25th November, 1879, near Lenkoran, which he subsequently ascertained by 

 comparison with a specimen of L. grimmi to be referable to that form, and he adds that 

 Prof. BogdanofF examined it in 1886 and pronounced it to be Lanius grimmi. Zarudny (Bull. 

 Soc. Mosc. iii. p. 764) writes that he found this species " tolerably rare on the desert plains of 

 the Atrek, but much commoner on the sand-hills covered with saxauls and djousgounes which 

 surround the Merv oasis, and it is not rare in the sandy places between this oasis and Tschardjoui, 

 in the plains of Atrek and the Lower Soumbar. It is met with sporadically in the entire district 

 between the Amu-Darja and the northern slopes of the Parapamise mountains." 



Dr. Radde also obtained this Shrike at the Beum-basch Lake. 



In habits the present species does not appear to differ from its near allies, and with regard 

 to its nidification Prof. Bogdanoff writes (I. c.) as follows: — " Lanius grimmi builds in bushes on 

 sandy, clayey, or stony steppes. The nest which I found in June 1874 at Mangishlak, in the 

 valley of Aktan-Karatau, near the Djangilda, was placed on a small bush of Caragana sp., 

 growing in the cleft of a huge rock, and was constructed of dry twigs lined with the wool of the 

 Kirghis sheep, and contained five fresh eggs of a greenish-grey colour, with light grey spots, 

 more thickly collected round the larger end. The female was absent, and the male was on the 

 nest. This nest was a very late one, as in the same year a young bird was killed on the 4th of 

 July at Oust-Ourta, and in 1873 young birds were seen arriving at the Amu-Darja; thus the 

 eggs from which these latter were produced must have been laid early in April. This Shrike 

 feeds on insects, small birds {Sylvia nana &c), and small mammals. I am not aware if they 

 feed on lizards, which abound in the steppes." 



In the British Museum there is a Shrike obtained by Mr. Blanford at Baku Kelat, Persian 

 Baluchistan, on the 3rd February, 1872, which was referred by Dr. Gadow to the present species; 

 but I am very doubtful if he is right in so doing, as it does not agree with the type, with which 

 I have compared it, and appears to be a semi-albino or very pale variety of L. lahtora, to which 

 species it was referred by Mr. Blanford. 



