THE SHRIKES. 37 



in size and form. Generally sijeaking, however, they 

 have a strong, hooked bill, a large head, rather a long 

 tail, small feet, and wings of medium length. The 

 larger ones often devour small vertebrate animals such 

 as mice, lizards, and little birds, holding their prey in 

 one foot, or sometimes impaling it on a thorn. Young 

 Shrikes are noticeable for having a plumage marked with 

 dark bars. Many of this family are found in India, but 

 only two can be noticed here. 



The Brown Shrike (Lanius cristatus), figured on 

 Plate II (Fig. 1), may be taken as an example of the 

 typical Shrikes or Butcher-birds, called in Hindustani 

 generally Latora ; the brown species is known as Kher 

 Khetta, or in Bengali Kakhati. This bull-headed, dark- 

 faced bird is found in winter all over the empire, and about 

 Calcutta at any rate its harsh chattering notes are a wel- 

 come indication of the speedy advent of the cold weather. 

 The male and female are alike in plumage, but the 

 young are marked with dark bars, and most individuals 

 show some of these, so the markings must take years to 

 disappear. This bird has a steady, level flight, and 

 watches for its food from its perch, keeping much to the 

 same locality during its stay with us. It is fond of cock- 

 roaches, and will readily come down to pick these up if 

 thrown out for it. Other birds do not seem to fear it, 

 but I have seen it attack a weakly Sun-bird. 



It is suspected of breeding wdth us at times, and some 

 individuals are known to stay all the year round, but its 

 real summer home is in Tibet, Mongolia, and Siberia. 

 Our other typical Shrikes are much finer and showier 



