246 ORANGE-BREASTED BUSH-SHRIKE. 



In point of structure, it may be said that this bird 

 is a Malaconotus, but with something of the short 

 and gradually curved bill of a Lanius. The lateral 

 toes are very unequal, and the claws are neither 

 slender nor acute ; the wings reach only to the base 

 of the tail. 



Total length, 74 to f ; bill from the gape, ^ ; 

 from the front, ^ ; wings, 3/ - ; tail from the base, 

 3 ; tarsus almost 1. 



WHITE-PLUMED SHRIKE. 



Prionops plumatus, SWAINS. 

 PLATE XXVI. 



Above glossy black ; beneath white ; wings with a longitudi- 

 nal white stripe ; head, crest, and neck white with a grey 

 nuchal collar ; eyes encircled with a naked yellow skin. 



Le Geoffroy, Le Vaitt. Ois. d'Afrique, ii. pi. 80, 81 Lanius 



plumatus, Shaw, Gent. Zool. viii. 2. p Prionops Geofiroii, 



Vieill. Ency. Meth. 754. 



EVERY family of birds we may even say every 

 genus contains one division, which puts on some 

 characteristic of the swallow tribe ; or in scientific 

 language, is a representation of the fissirostral and 

 natatorial type of nature. The genus now before 

 us appears to hold this station in the circle of the 

 Bush-shrikes, from all of which, independent of 



