[en] Alpha-decay transitions between ground states of doubly-even nuclei are taken to represent unhindered decays. Reduced widths for these s-wave transitions behave in a regular fashion as a function of both neutron and atomic number. They are largest for nuclei two or four particles beyond a closed shell (with sharp minima at the shell) and they then decrease as the next closure is approached. The s-wave widths for ^186188190192Pb, however, have been reported to behave anomalously, i.e., they purportedly increase by a factor of 30 between ¹⁸⁶Pb (N = 104) and ¹⁹²Ob (N = 110) instead of decreasing as one nears N = 126. Theoretical calculations have not reproduced this unusual behavior. The [electron-capture (EC) + β⁺] strengths were deduced from K x-ray intensities. A number of corrections are involved in such determinations. We undertook the investigation of the (EC + β⁺) decay schemes of these neutron-deficient lead isotopes, in conjunction with studies of their α-decay properties, to obtain more reliable α-branching ratios. Herein we present new information on ¹⁸⁶Pb and discuss the partial α half-lives for ¹⁹²Pb, ¹⁹⁰Pb, ¹⁸⁸Pb, and ¹⁸⁶Pb together with α-decay rates for even-even nuclei with Z greater than or equal to 78