29G Observations on the 



tailed its essential character, nor given us any idea of what other 

 birds we are to associate with it. 



There is still another African Lanius, which departs so much 

 from the type of this particular group, as to strengthen our belief of 

 its being intimately connected with the Thamnophilinoe. The bird 

 I allude to, is the Bru-bru of Le Vaillant, or Lanius capensis of 

 Gmelin ; here the back or culmen of the beak is curved, the tip 

 considerably bent,(but not abruptly hooked,) and the sidesstrongly 

 toothed : so far we have the indications of a true Lanius ; yet in 

 the more slender and lengthened form of both mandibles, and in its 

 short and even tail, we may detect an evident approximation to 

 the Thamnophili. This affinity is in some measure confirmed, by its 

 economy being so very similar to those birds, as to induce M. Le 

 Vaillant to place them in the same section. Africa appears to be 

 the favourite country of the Lanianw, but the materials I have been 

 enabled to consult are so scanty, that [ am debarred from pursuing 

 this part of my inquiries further. Enough however has been said, 

 to prove that the last two birds we have particularly noticed, will 

 bring us very close to the division we shall call 



TlIAMNOPniLIN.E. 



The group we are now to consider, is eminently distinguished 

 from the last, by the prolongated form of the bill, which is strong, 

 compressed, and straight nearly to the tip of the upper mandible, 

 which terminates in an abrupt hook : the tooth, so conspicuous in 

 the last family, is here much smaller, and assumes the appearance 

 of a deep notch : all these peculiarities indicate an inferiority of 

 strength and a consequent difference of economy. The shortness 

 of their wings, and the comparative weakness of their tarsi, show 

 that neither of these organs are much employed in securing their 

 prey. Their manners in fact are very opposite to those of the ra- 

 pacious Lanian&, for they are found only among thick bushes, 

 feeding upon caterpillars and other small creeping insects, which, 

 concealed among the foliage, escape the notice of the true Shrikes ; 

 while, to keep up the chain of affinity — we fiud they inherit some- 

 what of a rapacious disposition, by occasionally feeding upou 



