allen’s naturalist's library. 
i 60 
guish the True Shrikes, as far as the European species have to 
be considered. There are about fifty species of Lanins, and 
these are found over the greater part of Europe and Asia, 
Africa, North America, and the northern parts of Central 
America. The Grey Shrikes constitute a well-marked section 
of the genus, and the parti-coloured Shrikes another section. 
In this work are enumerated five British species, three be- 
longing to the grey section of the genus, and two to the parti- 
coloured section. 
THE LESSBIR GREY SHRIKE. LANIUS MINOR. 
Lanius minor, Gm., S. N., i., p. 308(1788 ) ; Newt. ed. Yarr., 
i., p. 205 (1872); Dresser, B. Eur., iii., p. 393, pi. 149 
(1872); Seeb., Br. B., i., p. 603 (1883): B. O. U. List 
Br. B., p. 38 (1883) ; Gadow, Cat. B. Brit. Mus., viii., p. 
2 35 ( i 8 83) ; .Saunders, Man., p. 141 (1889); Gilford, Col. 
Fig. Br. B., pt. xv. (1890). 
Adult Male. — General colour above clear blue-grey or slaty- 
blue, the scapulars like the back; wings black, the lesser wing- 
coverts ashy-grey, with a large patch of white at the base of the 
primaries, forming a big speculum ; tail-feathers black, the four 
centre ones not tipped with white, the next pair on each side 
white at the base and having a white spot at the tip, the two 
outer tail-feathers entirely white with a blackish shaft-streak ; 
head slaty-blue like the back : a broad frontal band, feathers 
round the eye and the ear-coverts, black ; cheeks and threat 
white, as well as the abdomen and under tail-coverts ■ the 
breast and sides of the body delicate rosy pink ; under wing- 
coverts and axillaries whitish, ashy on their inner webs ■ the 
quill-lining white, with a dusky patch near the edge of" the 
wing, formed by the dark lower primary coverts ; bill and feet 
black ; iris brown. Total length, 8-5 inches ; wing, 4-6 ; oil- 
men, C65 ; tail, 3 '2 ; tarsus, i'o. 
Adult Female. — Scarcely to be distinguished from the male, but 
having the frontal band less broad and pronounced. Total 
length, 8-5 inches ; wing, 4-7. 
Young;. — Differs from the adults in being browner, the upper 
surface being brownish-grey, freckled with a few cross-lines of 
blackish or dusky-brown on the head and back ; the lores and 
