OF ORNITHOLOGY 59 



The affinity of any of the species of this family with the 

 Flycatchers is, now, entirely out of mention ; though Myia- 

 destes does somewhat resemble them, thus supposedly involv- 

 ing the other members of the family, the relationship is much 

 nearer to the Shrikes. We feel justified, however, in our pres- 

 ent disposition of them. 



FAMILY XIV LANIIDAE THE SHRIKES 



Latin lanius, '' an executioner." 

 Bill very strong, stout, and powerful, — basal two-thirds 

 greatly compressed and wide at the base ; tip hooked quite 

 abruptly and distinctly toothed and notched ; tail long, and 

 with each pair of feathers, from the center or longest ones, 

 smaller than the preceding pair; primaries 10, the 1st about 

 one-half the longest ; tarsus scutellate in front and on sides. 



Oenus, Lanius, (4 species). {Collurio or Collyrio are synonyms). 



FAMILY XV VIREONIDAE THE VIREOS or 

 GREENLETS 



Latin vireo, " a kind of bird, according to some the Green-finch." 

 It is only within a few years that the Vireos have been sep- 

 arated and isolated from the Shrikes. They were formerly 

 made a second sub-family of, and secondary to, the latter. If 

 we compare a Virco with a Shrike it will be readily seen that 

 the former is a diminutive of the latter, to all appearances : 

 The bill is smaller, more cylindrical and less compressed — 

 though still notched and toothed — and the tail is not gradu- 

 ated but even and short ; wing of 10 primaries, though the 

 1st is often rudimentary and somewhat displaced, and at other 

 times very short and somewhat spurious (often called spurious) ; 

 size small ; tarsus scutellate in front and not on the sides. 

 Genus, Vireo, (16 species). 

 Sub-genera, Vireosylvia, and Lanivireo. 



Many of the Yireos formerly appeared under the generic 

 name oi Lanius, but this only serves to show their former con- 

 nection with the Shrikes proper. 



