LARKS. TITMICE, HONEY-EATERS, THEIR KINDRED 135 



coloured. The females are dull- 

 coloured, whilst the males lose their 

 jjcaut)' in the winter season. These 

 birds are inhabitants of the tropical 

 regions of Africa, India, and Australia, 

 and seem to revel in the burning 

 ra\-s of the noonda_\- sun. 



Nearl\- allied to the Sun- 

 birds are the Flower-I'I-xkkr.s of 

 the Indian and Australian regions. 

 These are all small birds, remark- 

 able as much for the beaut)' of 

 their nests as for the splendour 

 of their plumage. The nests are 

 purse-like structures, made of white 

 cotton-like material, and suspended 

 from a branch instead of as usual, 

 resting on it. One of the most 

 beautiful birds of the whole group, 

 which includes numerous species, is 

 the Australian DlAMoXD-lURD. Of a 

 general ashy-grey colour, this species 

 is splashed all over with spots of 

 red, \'ellow, orange, and black, whilst 

 the tail-coverts are rich dark red. 



Ph^to h «'. F. Ptggott] iLnghron Bu: 



RED-BACKED SHRIKES 



^/so called Butcher-birdi, jrcm their hahit of killing imall birds arid 

 and hanging them np on thorns 



mmali 



Fhtlt by SV. Riid'\ [Ifiihau; tJ.B. 



AUSTRALIAN MAGPIE 



common South Australian Jorm^ kna'zvn also as the 

 Fiping-cronv 



CHAPTER XVII 



SHRIKES, THRUSHES AND THEIR J L LIES, 

 Sll'ALLOJVS, LYRE-BIRDS, CHATTERERS, 

 BROAD-BILLS, ETC. 



THI-", Shrike I-"aniil_\- are an exceedingl)- interesting 

 group of birds, of world-wide distribution and ot 

 great diversit}' of appearance, varying in size from 

 a bird as small as a titmouse to one as large as a 

 thrush, and presenting a considerable range of coloration, 

 some being very brightly, others dull coloured. From 

 the hooked beak, and the presence of a notch in the 

 lip of the upper jaw, the\- were considered by the older 

 naturalists to be allies of the Birds of Prey, a decision 

 still further supported by their hawk-like habit of capturing 

 li\'ing prey in the shape of small birds and mice; whilst 

 the remarkable custom of impaling their victims, still 

 li\ing, on thorns has earned for them the popular name 

 of Butcher-birds. The limits of the family, owing to 

 the dix-ersity of the forms in\olved, have not as yet been 

 hnall}- determined b_\- naturalists, some ha\'ing included 

 species which others hold ha\e no place there. 



