66 BUTCHER-BIRD—BUZZARD 
plumage they assume at the breeding-season. Neither in Mada. 
gascar nor in the Malay Archipelago is there any form of this 
Family, but Australia possesses one large species already named. 
From Xenophon’s days (Anab. 1. 5) to our own, the flesh of 
Bustards has been esteemed as of the highest flavour. The 
Bustard has long been protected by the game-laws in Great Britain, 
but, as will have been seen, to little purpose. A few attempts 
have been made to reinstate it as a denizen of this country, but 
none on any scale that would ensure success. Many of the older 
authors considered the Bustards allied to the OSTRICH, a most 
mistaken view, their affinity pointing apparently towards the 
CRANES in one direction and the PLOVERS in another. The so 
called Thick-kneed Bustard is the Stone-CURLEW. 
BUTCHER-BIRD, a name that seems at one time to have been 
in general use, though latterly usurped, except locally, by SHRIKE, 
which last was probably applied by mistake. The former takes its 
origin from the bird’s habit of impaling its prey on a thorn while 
eating it, and leaving the remains there to decay. A place suitable 
for this purpose is often used many times, and, reminding people of 
a butcher’s shambles, induced the English name, as well as the Latin 
Lanius, conferred, it would appear, by Gesner. The habit is carried 
out when the bird is kept in confinement, for jt will then fix its food 
to the wires of its cage. One species, L. excubitor, derives its trivial 
designation from the use made of it as a sentinel by falconers when 
catching wild Hawks. The mode employed is well described by 
Hoy (Mag. Nat. Hist. iv. p. 342), but can be only briefly mentioned 
here. The Hawk-catcher lies hidden in a hut, watching through a 
small hole the Butcher-bird, which is tethered some yards off, and 
by its actions not only gives him notice of the approach of a Bird- 
of-Prey, but also indicates of what kind the stranger is. Thus the 
sentinel is but slightly troubled at a passing Kite, Eagle, or 
Buzzard; but beats itself on its perch with screams at the sight 
of a Harrier, while on the appearance of a Falcon or Sparrow-Hawk 
it drops with cries of distress into a retreat that has been consider- 
ately prepared for it. On this the falconer, by pulling long strings, 
displays first one and then a second tethered Pigeon, and the 
instant the Hawk clutches this last, draws a bow-net over both, 
thus securing his prize. 
BUTTON-QUAIL, the Anglo-Indian name for a little bird, 
Turniz sykesi, and one if not more of its congeners, which, though 
for a long while confounded with the true QUAILS, really belong to 
a very distinct group, Z’urnicide, and may be more conveniently 
treated under the title of HEMIPODE. 
BUZZARD, a word derived from the Latin Buteo, through the 
French Busard, and used in a general sense for a large group of 
