THE GREAT GREY SHRIKE. 



FAMILY 



Shrikes or Butcher-birds form a large and well-defined group of birds of 

 J. somewhat predaceous habits, strong in their bills, but comparatively weak 

 in their claws. The mandibles are short and thick, the upper one with curved 

 culmen always with a tolerably well-defined terminal hook, preceded, on the inferior 

 or cutting edge, by a slight sinus, behind which is a prominent wedge-shaped 

 tooth ; the nostrils are oval, lateral, and basal, and there are well-defined rictal 

 bristles, as in the Flycatchers. 



Dr. Hans Gadow greatly extends the family, to include many types, observing 

 that the diagnosis of the Laniidcc * * as given by Mr. Sharpe * * is applicable to 

 Lanius only : he, however, admits that the family, as defined by himself, contains 

 some very aberrant forms, and I think all naturalists will agree that this should 

 not be the case, if there is any way of avoiding it. Families, Subfamilies, and 

 genera are conveniences, and the more sharply they can be defined, the more 

 convenient they are ; it is far better to have a small and compact family, than a 

 large and heterogeneous one. 



Dr. Gadow observes in his Catalogue that " The Laniida, as described in this 

 volume, form neither a group complete in itself, nor are the lines of distinction 

 always drawn closely enough." 



Most of the Shrikes are inhabitants of the Old World : in Great Britain they 

 are represented by the typical genus Lanius alone a group which contains alto- 

 gether about forty species, four of which have been obtained on our shores, though 

 only two of these appear to breed with us. 



Some authorities consider the Shrikes to be nearly related to the Crows ; in- 

 deed Seebohm made them a Subfamily close to the Corvina, although he admitted 

 that their " exact affinities are very difficult to determine " ; he considered that they 

 approached the Crows in the form of their bills, the strong bristles, and short 

 feathers partly covering the nostrils, and in their feet. Howard Saunders, from 

 the position which he assigns to them in his Manual, seems to regard them as 

 more nearly related to the Flycatchers.* 



See also Lord Lilford's note at end of account of the Woodchat-Shrike. 



