LESSER GREY SHRIKE.
Lanius minor, J.F.Gndai.
LESSEE GEEY SHEIKE.
LANIUS MINOR, J. F. Gmelin.
Lanius minor, Gmelin, S. 1ST. i. p. 308 (1788); Naum. ii.
p. 15 ; Yarr. ed. 4, i. p. 205; Dresser, iii. p. 393.
Pie-Grieche d’ltalie, French; Grauer Wurger, German.
This species, which is a common summer visitor to
many parts of Southern, South-eastern, and Central
Europe, is recorded by Mr. Howard Saunders (from
whom I quote as the latest authority) to have occurred
in four instances in our country; the first of these
occurrences was that of a female, killed in November
1851 in Scilly, two others were obtained near Great
Yarmouth in 1869 and in May 1875 respectively, and a
fourth was taken near Plymouth in September 1876.
My own acquaintance with this Shrike is very small,
and I may here state that I was completely in error in
my statement in c The Ibis ’ article on the birds of Spain,
that this species was not uncommon in that country,
where, indeed, I never personally met with it, though 1
have reason to believe that it has occurred in Catalonia,
and perhaps in Valencia.
A friend, who is well acquainted with this species,