216 BIRDS. INSECTIVOILE. 



V. curvirostris, Tern. Back and wings black ; coverts and smaller 

 quill-feathers edged with white ; tail black ; the remainder of 

 the body white ; bill and legs black. 10 inches long. Inhabits 

 Madagascar Buff. PL Enl 228. 



Gen. 8, LANIUS, Lin. 



Bill middle-sized, robust, straight from its origin, and much 

 compressed ; upper mandible strongly bent towards the tip, 

 which is hooked, the base destitute of a cere, and furnished 

 with rough hairs, pointing forwards ; nostrils basal, lateral, 

 almost round, half closed by an arched membrane, and often 

 partly concealed by hairs ; tarsus longer than the middle toe ; 

 three toes before and one behind, separate ; the third and 

 fourth wing-feathers longest. 



Butcher- Birds are so denominated from their singular habit of sticking their prey 

 upon the thorns of bushes before feeding on it. After killing a bird, or large insect, 

 they affix the body to some sharp thorn ; for these birds want the strength of the 

 hawk to retain their quariy in their claws, and pull it with their bill. They like- 

 wise spit the larger insects on thorns before devouring them, reserving them, ac- 

 cording to some, or using them, according to others, as a decoy to the insectivorous 

 birds. 



L. excubitor, Lin. Greater Butcher-Bird or Shrike. Plumage gray 

 above, white beneath ; wings short, black; a broad black band be- 

 low the eyes; origin of the primaries and the extremities of the se- 

 condary quills pure white ; the two exterior feathers of the tail 

 white, the third black towards the centre, the fourth terminated 

 by a large white space, and the two centre ones entirely black ; 

 bill and legs deep black. Nine inches long Shaw, vii. pi. 37 



L. meridionalis, Tern. Head, neck, and back of deep ash-colour ; 

 a broad black band under the eyes ; throat whitish ; lower parts 

 of a reddish ash-colour ; origin of the first quill-feathers and ex- 

 tremities of the secondaries pure white ; four middle feathers of 

 the tail black. Nine inches long. Europe. Tern. Man. 143. 



L. minor, Lin. The Gray Shrike. Plumage cinereous above; throat 

 white ; breast and flanks rose-coloured ; forehead, region of the 

 eyes and ears black ; wings black ; four middle feathers of the 

 tail black. Nine inches long. Inhabits Europe. Tern. Man. 144. 



L. nifus, Briss. Forehead, region of the eyes and ears black ; oc- 

 ciput and nape of a bright red; top of the back and wings black; 

 extremities and margins of the coverts white, as are the lower 

 parts of the body ; first feather of the tail white, with a black 

 square spot on the interior web ; the second with a larger spot on 

 both webs, the others white at their origin, and towards the end; 

 the two middle ones black ; tail slightly rounded. Seven inches 

 long. Inhabits Europe. Tern. Man. 146. 



L. collurio, Lin. Red-backed Shrike. Back and wing-coverts red- 

 dish brown ; back of the head and neck gray ; throat and vent 

 white ; breast, belly, and flanks rose-red ; tail wedge-shaped, the 

 middle feathers black, the rest with more or less white at the base > 



