248 WHITE-PLUMED SHRIKE. 



usually hooked, and the hinder toe, as in the Swal- 

 low Shrikes or Dicrurince, very long. Indeed, as 

 no fissirostral types are crested, it may be even 

 questioned whether this genus does not actually 

 enter into the circle of the Swallow Shrikes; in 

 which case, by viewing it as the rasorial type of 

 that division, we can not only account for its length 

 of wing, but also for its remarkably plumed crest. 

 Waving, however, such a critical distinction, it is 

 plain that Prionops connects the Thamnophilince 

 and the Dicrurmce. 



Deep black glossed with blue, and pure white, 

 are nearly the only colours of the plumage. The 

 head and neck, as far as the shoulders, are pure 

 white, excepting a nuchal band of grey, which 

 forms a half collar at the back of the neck and 

 extends round the margin of the ears. There are 

 two broad white bands on the wing ; one across the 

 ends of the greater covers, and another running 

 longitudinally on the exterior of three of the lesser 

 quills. The greater quills have another white bar, 

 placed in an oblique direction on their inner webs 

 only, so as not to be seen when the wing is closed, 

 and all the quills, more or less, are tipt with white. 

 The tail is long, slightly rounded, and of the same 

 kind of black glossed with green as the wings, but 

 the outer-feather on each side is pure white, the 

 next is half black half white, and the others tipt 

 only with white. The back feathers are not much 

 lengthened, and the white of the under plumage is 

 quite pure. 



