54-2 AVES. 



fiHirtli and fifth quills the longest ; tail short, and the tectrices of equal 

 length, or graduated and long in others. 



Myiuthera grallarius.— The King Thrush. Plate xxix. fig. 9. Front ear 

 coverts, back, wings, gula, jugulum, and tail, chestnut ; under parts and 

 gena pale reddish chestnut ; breast and abdomen with lanceolate dark chest- 

 nut spots ; back of the head and neck ash-colour; feathers with a pale streak 

 iu their centre ; legs long, dull flesh-coloured ; tibia half covered by feathers i 

 tail very short. Eleven inches long. Inhabits Guiana. 



GcMMi 6.— THAMNOPHILUS.— FietWoi. 



Generic Character. — Bill short, robust, thick, somewhat gibbous ; base 

 widened, sides dilated, point somewhat compressed, obtuse, and considera- 

 bly bent doivnwards, with a small notch near its tip ; nostrils lateral, placed 

 near the base of the bill, open, somewhat ovate or rounded ; legs long and 

 slender; tarsus considerably longer than the middle toe, to which the exter. 

 nal toe is attached as far as the first joint ; wings short, rounded; the fourth, 

 fifth, and sixth quills of equal length, and longer than the others. 



Thamnophilusniger. — The Bush Shrike. Plate xxix*. fig. 1. Head furnish, 

 ed with a crest, composed of rather long dense black feathers, bristly near 

 the base of the bill, covering the nostrils ; the whole plumage is dull grayish, 

 black, slightly tinged with blue on the rump and under parts; secondaries 

 barred with umber-brown ; toes long and slender, which, v\-ith the legs, are 

 blackish-brown. Length eight inches. Inhabits South America. 



Genus 7.— VANG A.— Vieillot. 



Generic Character. — Bill long, undulated, hard, sharp at the edges, con. 

 Biderably hooked at its poiut, and sharp ; nostrils lateral, placed near the 

 base in the horn of the bill, concealed by a cartilage; tarsus as long, or in 

 others longer than the middle toe ; the external toe attached to the first 

 joint ; third quill longest- 



Vanga Cristata. — The Crested Shrike. Plate xxvi. fig. 5. Black ; col- 

 lum white, with two Itmated white spots behind the eyes on each side ; large 

 wing-coverts dark brown ; crest very long and erect ; nuchal bristles hard, 

 ly perceptible. 



Genus 8. — LANIUS. — Linn^us^ 



Generic Character. — Bill of medium size, strong, straight from its base, 

 and considerably compressed ; upper mandible much bent towards its tip 

 and hooked; base without cere, provided with strong nuchal bristles, di- 

 rected forward ; nostrils close to the base, lateral, nearly round, half closed 

 by a concaraerated membrane, nearly concealed by the bristles ; tarsus long, 

 or than the middle toe ; feet with three toes before and one behind, free ; 

 the third and fourth quills the longest. 



Lanius excubitor.— -The Great Shrike. Plate xxxii. fig. 3. Described, vol, 

 iii. p. 90. 



Genus 9.~VS\RIS.—Cuvter. 



Generic Character. — Bill thick, short, round, conical, and ridged at tlie 

 top, with the base depressed, and the tip bent, slightly notched, and com- 

 pressed; nostrils lateral, round, open, and remote from tiie base of the bill, 

 placed in the horny substance ■ legs robust, tarsus short, the length of the 



