Annals of the Transvaal Museum 
243 
to migrate so far south within a comparatively recent period. In north- 
east Africa we find practically all the groups represented, both residents 
and migrants occurring there, and an interesting feature of this con- 
vergence in a single area is that the long tails of the species indicate which 
are residents, though they otherwise also show whence they have evolved. 
The typical Lanius is characterised as follows: first primary a little 
over half (53 per cent.) of the length of the second, which is shorter than 
the sixth but longer than the seventh, the fourth longest, the third shorter 
and the fifth still shorter; the tail is a little longer than the wing, the 
graduation (that is, the difference between the longest and shortest) of the 
tail feathers about equal to the length of the tarsus; the outermost tail 
feather is about as broad as the length of the exposed- culmen. 
It seems never to have occurred to anyone that the Lesser Grey Shrike 
(L. minor) should be separated from the larger, more sedentary species; 
yet it is unique amongst the shrikes in the shortness of the outermost 
primary. Its colour characters leave little room for doubt as to its affinity 
with the larger species and it is perhaps for this reason that taxonomers 
have so studiously avoided making use of the primary formulae in the 
diagnoses of the genera; but if we get down to facts we find that the same 
character is utilised in the case of other birds which have evolved in the 
same way and we must therefore recognise the difference. As no name is 
available I propose for this genus the name of Lanioides, genotype Lanius 
minor Gmelin, characterised as follows : first primary not extending beyond 
the primary coverts and only about one fourth of the length of the second ; 
second primary longer than the fourth, third primary the longest ; tail very 
much shorter than the wing (about 85 per cent.), the feathers graduated 
to about the length of the culmen and very much less than the length of 
the tarsus. Outermost tail feather somewhat narrower than in the typical 
Lanius. 
In East Africa, north of the Equator, an aberrant species occurs, which 
seems also to be allied to the typical Lanius, but differs therefrom in having 
the black feathers of the forehead (which are more extended than in 
Lanius) stiffened and in marked contrast to the grey feathers of the crown ; 
the wing is more rounded than in Lanius, the first primary being nearly 
two-thirds (63 per cent.) of the length of the second, which is shorter than 
the seventh, while the fourth is longest, the third and fifth a little short of 
the fourth; tail feathers very broad, always much longer than the wing, 
although in one form only one-tenth longer but in the typical form about 
one- third longer ; the graduation of the tail feathers is much greater than 
the length of the tarsus. This subgroup I should also regard as a subgenus 
of Lanius, under the name of Neolanius, genotype Lanius excuhitorius 
Prevost and Des Murs. 
Covering practically the whole of the continent south of the Sahara 
Desert we find members of another group, Fiscus Bonaparte, genotype 
Lanius collaris L. It is much like L. minor in life and may possibly have 
evolved from it. It differs, however, in some important respects, the tail 
feathers being narrower and the tarsus having more scales. The first 
primary is more than half the length of the second (about 60 per cent.), 
second primary equal to the seventh, third, fourth and fifth about equal 
and longest ; tail always much longer than the wing, averaging about one 
