Mr. George Reid informs us that this Shrike breeds from March to July in the Lucknow Division, making a massive nest in babool trees, generally in solitary ones on open plains.

Colonel Butler writes:—­“The Indian Grey Shrike breeds in the neighbourhood of Deesa in February, March, April, May, June, and July.  I nave taken nests on the following dates:—­

“Feb. 19.  A nest containing 4 slightly incubated eggs. 
March 13.      "      "     4 fresh eggs.
"   16.      "      "     4     "
"   19.      "      "     4     "
"   20.      "      "     3     "
"   20.      "      "     4     "
"   28.      "      "     4 incubated eggs. 
April  9.      "      "     4     "      "
June   1.      "      "     2 fresh eggs.
"    7.      "      "     4 young birds.
"    7.      "      "     2 incubated eggs. 
July   9.      "      "     4     "   "

“The nest is usually placed in some low, isolated leafless thorny tree (Acacia, Zizyphus, &c.), from six to ten feet from the ground.  It is solidly built of small dry thorny twigs, old rags, &c. externally, with a thick felt lining of the silky fibre of Calotropis gigantea.  The eggs vary a good deal in shape, some being much more pointed at the small end than others; some I have are almost perfect peg-tops.  They vary in number from three to five; and as a rule the colour is a dingy white, spotted and speckled sparingly all over with olive-brown and inky purple, which together form a well-marked zone at the large end.”

Messrs. Davidson and Wenden remark:—­“Common, and breeds abundantly in the Poona and Sholapoor Collectorates at the end of the hot weather.  W. has noticed it breeding at Nuluar and Raichore.  Davidson observed that it was very rare in the Satara Districts.”

Mr. J. Davidson further informs us that L. lahtora is a permanent resident in Western Khandeish, and breeds in every month from January to July.

My friend Mr. Benjamin Aitken furnishes me with the following interesting note:—­“You say that the Indian Grey Shrike lays from February to July.  Now, in Berar, where this bird is very common, I have found their eggs frequently in the first week of January, and on not only to July, but to September; and I once found a nest in October.  I was never able to satisfy myself that the same pair had two broods in the year, but I scarcely think there can be any doubt about the matter.  I once found, like your correspondent Mr. Blewitt, four nests in a small babool tree, and only one of them occupied.  This was at Poona.  My brother first pointed out to me that this species affects the dusty barren plain, whereas L. erythronotus prefers the cool and shaded country.  This difference in the habits of the two birds is very observable at Poona, where both species are exceedingly common.  Where a jungly or watered piece of country borders upon the open plain, you may see half a dozen of each kind within an area of half a mile radius, and yet never find the one trespassing upon the domain of the other.  When you say you have never found a nest more than 1500 feet above the level of the sea, I would remind you that although L. lahtora never ascends the hills, it is yet very abundant in the Deccan, which is 2000 feet above the sea-level.