LESSER GREY SHRIKE.

Lanius minor, Zann.
Collurio minor, Vig.

lia Pie-Grieche a Poitrine rose.

Tue Lesser Grey Shrike, or Rose-breasted Shrike of Temminck, though belonging to that division of the
family to which Mr. Vigors has given the generic title of Collurio, (and which is distinguished from the
restricted genus Zanus by the graduated tail and short rounded wing,) must nevertheless be regarded as
forming a link between these two genera; inasmuch as the tail is rather rounded than decidedly graduated,
and the wings are more lengthened than in any other species of the genus to which it is now assigned.

Of the European Shrikes, the present is certainly one of the most distinguished for the beauty and delicacy
of its colourmg: in size, it is inferior to the Lanius Evcubitor of Linnzeus, but possesses a more strong and
robust bill than is found in that bird,—to which, however, in manners, and in the general character of its
plumage, it closely approximates.

The Lanius minor is strictly Continental; no instance, so far as we are aware, being on record of its ever
having visited our Island. From M. Temminck, to whose acquaintance with the birds of Europe the scientific
world is so much indebted, we learn that its range on the Continent is very extensive, inhabiting, with the
exception of Holland (in which it is rarely seen), Turkey, the Archipelago, Italy and Spain, breeding also in
some parts of France and Germany, and visiting the northern portions of Europe as far as Russia. Thickets,
trees, bushes, and hedge-rows are its favourite resort, among which it constructs its nest: the eggs, SIX In
number, are oblong and of a dull green, having a zone of small spots round the centre, of an olive-grey.

Its food, like that of the other species of the genus, consists principally of insects, such as moths, and
coleoptera, to which young or feeble birds are occasionally added.

The beak and legs are black ; a black band passes over the forehead, eyes and ears ; the top of the head,
back and rump of a fine ash; throat white; breast and sides of a delicate rose-colour ; wings black, with a
white bar across the quill-feathers ; the middle tail-feathers black, the two outer feathers quite white, the two
next partially white, the succeeding feathers on each side less and less so.

The female differs as little from the male as those of the allied species Ercubitor, and is only to be distin-
guished by the more obscure rose-colour of the breast, and the black of the plumage having a tinge of brown.

The young of the year of both sexes after the autumn moult are destitute of the black band on the forehead,
which remains grey during the winter, and the plumage of the superior surface is more or less broken with
grey, the under parts being obscure; but after the moult of spring, both sexes gain the band over the fore-
head and ears, the rose-colour of the breast becoming at the same time more lively. Total length eight
inches.

Our figure represents an adult male of the natural size.