bee 
LANII 165 
Section V. LANTTI. 
Passerine Birds, which do not swallow their food during flight, nor with 
their backs downwards. Secondaries never reach to the tip of the wing. 
Bill never Finch-like. Nestlings generally with the plumage more barred 
than in the adults, and never brighter in colour nor with the subterminal 
spots to the feathers more rounded than in the adults. 
Among the habits most constant in the members of this section, may 
be remarked the prominent positions they select, such as the exposed 
topmost bough of a bush, whence they watch to catch the passing 
insects, which constitute their chief food. When they have eaten enough 
they often impale upon thorns their superfluous captures for later use as 
required, which habit has suggested the name of ‘‘ Butcher-birds”’ for them 
in England, and for the same reason, coupled with the black and white 
plumage of the common South African species, some have there received 
the name of Fiscal Shrikes. 
The nest is a strong cup-shaped structure, generally placed in a bush 
a few feet from the ground, and the eggs, usually five in a clutch, are 
distinctly spotted. 
KEY TO THE FAMILIES AND SUBFAMILIKS. 
a. Sides and back of tarsus bilaminated. 
a‘, Bars of the feathers, when present in the young only, 
paler than the feathers themselves. 
a?. Tail of only 10 feathers ; bill wide, and black like 
the general plumage ; rictal-bristles strong . . . Dicruride. 
b2. Tail of 12 feathers; bill narrower than deep at the 
nostrils, and, like the plumage, rarely black. . . Vangide. 
61. Bars on the feathers, when present, in the young 
only, darker than the feathers themselves. 
c®. Bill more flattened, not deeper than broad at 
nostrils ; upper mandible less hooked and notched ; 
shafts of some of the feathers of lower back with 
stiff, sharply pointed ends . . . Campophagide. 
d?, Bill deeper than broad at the ogee eae man- 
dible strongly notched ; shafts of feathers of back 
es cae ee es Se boo a Sbenpaates 
. Feathers of lower back Sepucile nostril at least 
partly concealed by the frontal bristles . . . Laniine. 
b.8 Feathers of lower back soft and fluffy ; nostrils 
more free from frontal bristles . . . . . . Daniarine. 
(June, 1912 12 
