124 AVES. 



Lan. collurio, Gm. M. Vieillot has formed his genus Lanius (The Butcher 

 Bird). Top of the head and rump ash-coloured ; back and wings fawn- 

 coloured; whitish above; a black band over the eye; wing-quills black edged 

 with fawn colour, those of the tail black, the lateral ones white at base. It 

 destroys small birds, young frogs, and great numbers of insects, which it 

 sticks upon the thorns of bushes, in order to devour them at leisure, or to 

 find them again when wanted. 



The subdivisions of this genus are Vanga, Ocypterus, Barita, &c. differing 

 chiefly in the arrangement of the beak. 



MUSCICAPA, Linrueus. 



The Fly-Catchers have a horizontally depressed beak, furnished with hairs 

 at its base, and the point more or less hooked and 

 emarginated. Their general habits are those of 

 the Shrikes, and they li ve on small birds or insects, 

 according to their size. 



The weakest of them gradually approach the form of the wagtails. 



This genus is now divided into various subgenera, such as Tyrannus, 



Muscipeta, Muscicapa, Gymnocephalus, &c. The species are very numerous. 



AMPELIS, Linnaus. 



The Crown-Birds have the depressed beak of the Fly-catchers, but it is 

 somewhat shorter in proportion, tolerably broad and 

 slightly arcuated. They are remarkable for the beauty 

 of their plumage ; during the breeding season the male 

 assumes a very bright azure blue; the remainder of 

 the year both sexes have the same tints of brown. 

 Those in which the beak is the most pointed and strong, 

 have still a decidedly insectivorous regimen : they are 



called PLAUHAU from their note the QuERULA,Vieill. They inhabit America, 



where they pursue insects in flocks. 



They are now distributed into several subgenera, such as Tertina, Ctble- 



yyrus, Bombycilla (the Chatterers), Procnias, &c. 



EDOLIUS, Cuvler. 



Belongs also to the great series of the Fly- catchers ; the beak is depressed 

 and emarginate at the end ; its upper ridge is acute ; but what distinguishes 

 it, is, that both mandibles are slightly arcuated throughout their length ; the 

 nostrils are covered with feathers, and there are, besides, long hairs forming 

 mustachios. 



The species are numerous in the countries bordering on the Indian Ocean. 

 They are generally of a black hue, have a forked tail, and live on insects ; 

 some of them, it is said, sing as sweetly as the nightingale. 



