THE SHRIKES. O7 
in size and form. Generally speaking, 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 Surike (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 Lafora ; 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 with 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 
