43S REVIEW OF AMERICAN BIRDS. [PART I. 



bristles. Feet strong and well developed ; the tarsi longer than middle toe 

 and claw, with seven or eight scutellse anteriorly, the lateral plates usually 

 witii a tendency to subdivision inferiorly, especially the outer, which is some- 

 times divided regularly its entire length in C. excubitoroides, although this 

 character is not the same even on opposite feet of the same specimen. Lateral 

 toes nearly equal, reaching about to base of middle claw ; the toes quite 

 deeply cltift, the inner nearly to its base, but adherent to half the basal joint 

 of middle ; externally this joint is united nearly throughout to one and a 

 half joints of outer toe ; these basal joints somewhat abbreviated, so that 

 the inner is rather longer than middle. 



There is a slight variation in form in American species of Colhirio, 

 the legs being shorter and the bill longer proportionally in boreaiis 

 than in the others. In excubitoroides the legs are longer both 

 absolutely and relatively than in any American species, or G. excu- 

 bitor of Europe. There is much difference in specimens, and even 

 in different feet of the same specimen in regard to the subdivision 

 of the lateral plates (especially the outer) of tarsus, this sometimes 

 being quite regular, as much so as anteriorly, at other times quite 

 the contrary ; frequently the plates are entire, except at the lower 

 end. 



The type of the genus Lanius, as established by LinniBus in the 

 10th edition of Systeraa Naturae, is the L. cristatus of India and 

 Java, which, according to Cabanis, is congeneric with the L. collurio, 

 the type of Bole's genus Enneoctonus. Lamus should, therefore, 

 replace Enneoctonus for the long-winged European Shrikes, and 

 another name adopted for the larger European and American forms. 

 In the "Birds of North America," 1858, I used the name Collyrio 

 of Moehriug for this group, following G. R. Gray, but as I now admit 

 no genera of authors prior to or contemporaneous with Linnseus, 

 who did not adopt the binomial system, as established by him, not 

 even those of Linnaeus himself prior to 1758, it becomes necessary 

 to take the next in order, namely, Collurio of Vigors. 



The following synopsis will exhibit^ the characters of the North 

 American Shrikes, as well as of their close ally, C. excubitor of 

 Europe : — 



General Color. — Bluish or plumbeous-ash above ; the outer edges of scapu- 

 lars, sometimes the forehead and rump, paler. Beneath white, sometimes 

 with waved transverse dark lines. A broad black stripe from side of upper 

 bill through eye (extending more widely beneath than above it, sometimes 

 wanting above) to end of ear coverts. Wings (except lesser coverts) and 

 tail black ; the former with a white patch across base of primaries (some- 

 times on inner webs of secondaries) ; the secondaries tipped with white ; 

 the tail with broad white tips to the lateral feathers, the concealed bases 

 of which are also usually white. 



