1 16 PASSERES. LANIAD.E. 



Representatives of the Family are scattered 

 all over the world. 



GENUS LANIUS. (LiNN.) 



The true Shrikes, which are common to the 

 three continents of the eastern hemisphere, and to 

 North America, but are wanting in the southern 

 division of that continent, as well as in Aus- 

 tralia, are distinguished by the following cha- 

 racters. The beak is rather short, and com- 

 pressed at the sides, and not depressed as in the 

 Flycatchers; the upper mandible hooked, and 

 furnished with a strong and prominent tooth : 

 the wings have the first three quills graduated, 

 the third and fourth being the longest: the 

 claws sharp, and moderately hooked : the tail 

 usually lengthened. They are birds of much 

 elegance of form, and the hues of the plumage 

 are chaste and pleasing, consisting of various 

 shades of blue-grey, rufous, and white, set off 

 with fine contrasts of black on the head, wings, 

 and tail. 



Three species of this genus are known in Eng- 

 land, but all as migratory visitors ; of these we 

 select as an example, the Great Grey Shrike 

 (Lanius excubitor, LINN.), the largest, though not 

 the most common. It is about as large as the 

 Blackbird, but of superior elegance, from the 

 graduated form of its long tail, as well as from 

 the beautiful distribution of its pleasing colours. 

 The whole upper parts are of a clear and pearly 

 grey ; the under parts pure white ; the wings and 

 tail black, tipped with white ; on the former there 

 is also a large patch of white at the base of the 



