Family ofLaniadce. 297 



young or sickly birds, which take refuge in their haunts. The 

 Thamnophilince are confined to the tropical latitudes of America, 

 Africa, and probably Asia.* 



M. Vieillot first distinguished the long-billed Shrikes of Africa 

 and America by the generic name of Thamnophilus,i and in his 

 last work has figured the Pie~grieche blanchot of Le Vaillant, as 

 the type. It is important, however, that we should separate the 

 African Thamnophili, from those of the new world ; because we 

 shall presently attempt to show, that they both lead to different 

 groups ; aud because a peculiar distinction will be observed be- 

 tween them ; the lateral scales on the tarsi of the African species, 

 are formed of entire lamina?, while, in those from America, they are 

 small and very numerous; in the first, the rictus is strongly 

 bearded, in the last it is smooth. J The name of M. Vieillot I 

 shall therefore confine to such species as inhabit America, agree- 

 ably to the plan adopted by M. Temminck; while those of Africa 

 will form the Genus Malaconotus, and may be represented by the 

 T. olivaceus of M. Vieillot. But we must leave these for the pre- 

 sent, and notice another remarkable form seen in the genus Vanga, 

 Vieil., of which two species are known, one described as a native 

 of Madagascar, and the other inhabiting Australasia : these birds 

 have all the indications of being rapacious, or feeding upon small 

 animals, as well as insects, and in this respect assimilating to the 

 Shrikes ; yet the bill is decidedly formed upon the same model 

 as that of Thamnophilus ; it is long and straight, with an abrupt 

 and very sharp hook, which must be a powerful weapon in destroy- 

 ing their prey : the nostrils are very peculiar, and are pierced in 

 the hard substance of the bill, in a similar manner to Cassicus, Z>«- 



» lam unacquainted with any birds from Australasia that can be referred to 

 the genus Thamnophilus of M. Vieillot ; yet there is an unknown species in my 

 collection, which, from the peculiar length of its wings, its even tail, and its 

 general habit, belongs neither to the African nor American types. Reasoning 

 from theory, Ishould suppose it to come from Australasia, in which case it will 

 present a beautiful analogy to the long wings and even tail of Falcunculus. 



+ I may here observe that M. Temminck, in adopting this genus, confines it 

 to the species found in America alone; yet I am quite at a loss to know, from 

 the Manuel d'Ornithologie, where the African species are arranged. 



J The tarsi of the African species are also much stronger. 



