( 27 ) 

 THE LESSER RACKET-TAILED DRONGO. 



This has exactly the same habits as its larger brother, and differs 

 from him by having the ends of the two lengthened tail feathers 

 webbed on both sides. It is a smaller bird and keeps to hill 

 forests. 



(No, 339. B. reraifer.) 



X 

 THE SHRIKES 



Are birds with strong hooked bills, and include butcher-birds, 



pied-shrikes, wood-shrikes, and minivets, the last being the small 



crimson and yellow birds with black points so noticeable in the 

 hills. 



Butcher-birds have the curious habit of impaling their prey on 

 thorns, and keeping a sort of larder; and are not above attacking 

 weakly or young birds, even small mammals occasionally being 

 added to the larder. They have large heads and powerful hooked 

 bills. 



Burmese name for all Shrikes — Hnet-hiloo. 



THE BURMESE SHRIKE. 



The Burmese Shrike is a very noisy little bird, and plentiful up- 

 country from the midd'e of the rains till about the beginning of 

 April, when it retires to the hills, or secluded spots for breeding 

 purposes. 



It is about eight inches in length, has a chestnut body, ashy coloured 

 head, and pale under parts. It is a pugnacious little bird with harsh 

 grating cries, but during the breeding season, or when particularly 

 well pleased with itself, has a very pretty song and is a great 

 mimic. 



The majority retire to the Shan Stajtes for breeding, where during 

 April their nests are one of the commonest, I have also found them 

 breeding in the Yamethin district. They build a very neat cup-shaped 

 nest, which is placed in any convenient bush at about five feet fro'n 

 the ground, and lay eggs very like those of European Butcher- 

 bird. 



(No. 474. L. colluroides.) 



THE BLACK-HEADED SHRIKE. 



A larger bird than the last, being about ten inches in length. 

 Head black, portion of the back ashy, and remainder of upper 

 plumage chestn.ut, under parts whitish. 



