Family qfLaniadce. 299 



extends to the form of the nures, and the lengthened and robust 

 tarsi. When these perplexing difficulties occur, and we are in 

 doubt as to the situation of a bird, uniting in itself characters of two 

 distinct tribes, our decision must always be regulated by its natural 

 economy. Yet in the present instance, this is somewhat difficult; 

 for the statements before us are meagre and contradictory ; M. 

 Vieillot, when describing another species of this type, (Laniarius 

 viridis,) observes, probably on the authority of Perrien, (whose 

 book I have no means of consulting,) Elle se tient dans les bois les 

 plus fourres, a la time des grands arbres, ou le male fait entendre 

 un sifflet fort, qui a quelque rapport avec celui de la caille d' Europe. 

 On Papproche difficilement, si on rCimite sa voix ; car il est d'un 

 naturel sauvage et tres defiant. Les baies sont sa nourriture 

 principale. — Galerie des Oiseaux, Liv. 43. pi. 143. On this pas- 

 sage I must make two remarks ; relying on the accuracy of M. 

 Vieillot, in associating this bird with the Barbary shrike, which 

 indeed, (judging from the figure) it very much resembles. 1st, The 

 wings of the African Malaconotus, like those of Laniarius barbarus, 

 are rounded, and very weak ; and we shall quote the opinion of 

 M. Le Vaillant, to show the importance of this structure, when 

 connected with their economy. " Ces caracteres de la coupe de 

 Paile influant beaucoup sur la maniere de voter des oiseaux, ceux- 

 ci ne se rencontrent que tres-rarement sur le sommet des arbres, 

 oil nous avons fait remarquer que les pie-grieches de la premiere 

 section, (G. Lanius, nob.) se perchoient toujour s de preference ; il 

 est m&me des especes dans cette seconde division, (G. Malaconotus 

 nob.) que la nature exclut entierement de dessus les arbres eleves, 

 elles cherchent leur nourriture parmi les buissons bus et touffus, 

 dans le centre desquels elles se caehent soigneusement, et vivent 

 principalement de chenilles de vers et de toutes sortes d'insectes. 

 La foiblesse de leurs ailes leur interd.it toute espece d'insectes." 



I have given this passage at length, because it acquaints us 

 with the true economy of the Malaconoti, and at the same time 

 proves the incapacity of Laniarius to frequent the tops of lofty trees. 

 On the second part of M. Vieillot's statement, it may be observed, 

 that if the principal food of Laniarius viridis be berries, it can- 

 not belong to a tribe so truly insectivorous as the Laniadoe^ but 



