COLLURIO. 



43'7 



Family LANIID.E. 



The diagnosis on page 32i2 will give a general idea of the characters 

 of this family, as I'epresented in the New World, especially as com- 

 pared with its allies the Vireonidse and Ampelidse. The only genus 

 found in America is that of typical " Lanius,^^ and from which I have 

 drawn the family characters, although as given above they are in 

 general rather those of the Laniinae. 



Enneoctonus, of which Europe has several species, differs in much 

 less rounded wing, the first quill about one-third the longest, the 

 second about equal to the fourth ; the tail shorter than the wing, 

 and much less graduated : the bill more feeble. In the specimen 

 before me of Enneoctonus collurio there is no indication whatever 

 of division of lateral plate of tarsus, and the nostrils are scarcely 

 concealed. 



COLLURIO, Vigors. 



Collurio, Vigors, Pr. Zool. Soc. 1831, 42. (Type Lanius excubiior, L.) 

 Lanius, Aut. (iiot of Linn^scs, whose type is L. crisfatus'), 

 Colljirio, G. R. Gray.— Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 323. 



Body robust. Wings rather shorter than the much graduated tail (the 

 lateral feather about three-fourths the central). Primaries ten ; the 1st about 

 half the 2d, which is 

 longer than the 7th, the 

 outermost slightly sinu- 

 ated at end. Bill very 

 powerful, deep and much. 

 compressed, both out- 

 lines much curved and 

 convex ; the upper man- 

 dible decurving into a 

 strong hook with a deep 

 notch behind it, followed 

 by a prominent tooth ; tip 

 of lower bill obsoletely 

 similar. Nostrils almost 

 circular, placed nearly 

 opposite middle of com- 

 missurf, in nasal fossa, 

 without membrane, excepting behind, overhung and mostly concealed by the 

 stiff frontal bristly feathers and bristles ; base of mouth also with prominent 



Collurio excubitoroidea. 

 (All the figures three-fourtlis natural size.) 



