GREAT GREY SHRIKE. 161 



whom they are seen flitting from branch to branch in 

 early spring, and they are therefore introduced into 

 that group, and are placed at the head of the order 

 Insectivorce. 



The Great Grey Shrike, ( Lanius meridionalis , J must 

 not be confounded with the bird of that name in the 

 British lists, L. excubitor of Pennant, to which it is a 

 pity that Yarrell did not restrict the name of Grey or 

 Cinereous or Ash-coloured Shrike, given to it by various 

 authors. 



Temminck, however, in the second edition of his 

 "Manual," states his opinion that the three European 

 Shrikes known as L. excubitor, L. meridionalis, and L. 

 minor, are only races or permanent varieties produced 

 by climactric agency. I will quote his exact words as 

 the subject is one of great interest. In the third 

 edition he does not say anything contrary to this 

 opinion, but he gives an additional distinction between 

 the two first, namely, the white band above the eyebrows, 

 mentioned in the specific characters above. 



"This Shrike and those known under the names 

 excubitor and minor, seem to form three races or con- 

 stant varieties, produced by the climate. This one 

 f meridionalis J belongs to the countries of the south, 

 and never visits the centre or the north of Europe. Its 

 habits are nearly the same as those of the Grey Shrike, 

 ( excubitor,) from which, however, it constantly differs 

 by the much darker ash-colour of the upper parts of its 

 body, and by the wine lees colour distributed in dif- 

 ferent shades upon all the under parts of the body. 

 This race, which might also be called a species, seems 

 always to have the same marks by which it is easily 

 distinguished from L. excubitor, without offering by its 

 plumage any indication of a union of the species. I 



