LANIINA, 593 
Subfamily LANIIN A, or SHRIKES. 
The Shrikes and their allies form a considerable group of birds whose 
exact affinities are very difficult to determine. The general form of the 
bill resembles that of the Crows; but in the typical Shrikes it is much 
more decidedly hooked and has the upper mandible deeply notched. 
The wings vary from flat pointed migratory wings to rounded concave 
sedentary wings; the first primary is sometimes very small, but usually well 
developed. The tail is generally much graduated. The tarsus and feet 
resemble those of the Crows and Tits. The young in first plumage in 
some species differ but slightly from the adults, whilst in others this dif- 
ference is more marked, the upper and underparts being more or less 
barred and spotted and the colours generally less brilliant. 
It is very difficult to obtain accurate information respecting the 
moulting of the Shrikes; but it seems probable that the Great Grey 
Shrike, which can scarcely be called a migratory bird, has a regular 
autumn moult, whilst the Woodchat, the Red-backed and the Lesser Grey 
Shrikes appear to be anomalous in this respect. These birds migrate in 
their worn and faded breeding-plumage, and are said to begin to moult 
immediately upon their arrival in their winter quarters; but the process 
appears to be a slow one, as birds which have not completed their moult 
are sometimes obtained as late as the beginning of spring. 
The Laniine are an Old-world group of birds. A few species are 
found in the Nearctic Region; but they can only be regarded as strag- 
glers from the Palearctic Region. They are tolerably well distributed 
over the Palearctic Region; but by far the greatest number of species are 
found in the Ethiopian, Oriental, and Australian Regions, They number 
about two hundred and fifty species and subspecies, of which eight are 
found on the continent of Europe; five of these, all included in the genus 
Lanius, are British. 
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VOL. I. sh 
