150 LANIAD.E. 



Class. They are distinguished as an Order by possessing the 

 largest volume of brain in proportion to their size, and a cor- 

 responding degree of intelligence ; the vocal organs present 

 the highest degree of perfection to be found in the class, and 

 several of the species arc capable of imitating the sounds of 

 the hu.man voice : by the perfection of the foot it is adapted 

 to the greatest variety of purposes, and the hind toe is always 

 present, and always articulated on the same level or plane 

 with the fore-toes. I am indebted to Mr. Macleay for the 

 knowledge of another character : the young of all the Insesso- 

 rial Birds are hatched naked, not then exhibiting those fila- 

 ments of down which precede the first feathers. 



The birds included in this order are again divided ; and 

 those now about to be described belong to the division or 

 tribe called Dentirostres, on account of the distinct tooth 

 or notch near the extremity of one or both of the mandibles, 

 analagous to the tooth, festoon, or depression observed in 

 most of the Raptores, already described : and the habits of 

 the species of the family placed at the commencement of the 

 present series will immediately indicate the resemblance they 

 bear to the Raptorial character of the Order of Birds which 

 is just concluded. 



The Great Grey Shrike, the largest of the British species 

 of the genus Lanius, is only an occasional visitor to this 

 country, and is generally obtained between autumn and 

 spring. On two occasions it has been seen in Essex during 

 summer, by observers who know tliis bird well ; and also in 

 Burnt-ash Lane, near Lee in Kent, by Mr. Gray ; yet it has 

 not, that I am aware, been ever known to breed here, — though 

 the large size of the nest and the variable colour and mark- 

 ings of the eggs of the Red-backed Shrike have in some 

 instances led to the belief that they belonged to the Great 

 Shrike. A pair of Grey Shrikes Avere frequently seen to- 

 gether in a fir plantation in Northumberland in the spring of 



