CLASS II. AYES: ORDER 2. PASSERES. 



113 







THE GREAT BUTCUElt-BlKD. 



DENTIROSTRES. 



The leading characteristic of this group consists in the presence of a distinct notch on each 

 side of the extremity of the upper mandible, which is also usually more or less hooked. The 

 tarsi are generally slender, and covered with broad scales, as are also the toes, which are usually 

 long, and frequently armed with curved and acute claws. The outer toe is always more or less 

 united with the middle one, and this is also the case in some instances with the inner toe. These 

 birds are amongst the most predaceous of the passerinas : the nourishment of tlie greater pro- 

 portion consists principally of insects ; some of them, however, capture and devour small verte- 

 brated animals. Berries and fruits likewise constitute a part of their food, but they appear very 

 rarely to eat seeds. They are all furnished with the singing apparatus at the lower larynx, and 

 it is to these birds that our sweetest and most celebrated songsters belong. The divisions of this 

 entire group are as follows : the Laniid^, including the Shrikes ; the Ampelid^, including 

 the Piprince or Manakins, Droru/o Shrikes, and Cam2Je2}ha(/ince or Caterpillar-Eaters^ Gymno- 

 derince or Fruit-Crows, Umbrella-Bird, Bell-Bird, Chatterers, and Cotingas ; the Muscicapid^, 

 including the Fly-Catchers, Tityrince or Becards, Tyrant Fly- Catchers, Alectrurince or Cock-Tails ; 

 the TuRDiD^ or Merulid.-e, including the Bulbuls, Oriole's, Babblers, True Thrushes, Ant- 

 Thrushes, and Ouzels; the Warblers, including the Waytails, Pipits ov Titlarks, Bush-Creepers, 

 Tittnice, Robins, Wheat-Ears, Redbreasts, Shamas, Indian Robin, and Bluebird ; the True Warb- 

 lers, including the Nightingales, Tailor-Birds. &c. 



THE LANIID^ OR SIIEIKES. 



In this first family, the bill is elongated, strong, straight, and compressed, with the tip of the 

 upper mandible more or less hooked, and armed on each side with a tooth ; the base of the bill 

 j is usually as high as broad, and the gape is furnished with bristles, of which about five spring 

 i from each side of the base of the upper mandible. The wings are of moderate size ; the tail is 

 I long and rounded ; the tarsi are stout, usually elongated ; the hind toe long, broadly padded be- 

 neath, and the claws are long, curved, and very acute. The strong liooked bill and curved claws 

 of these birds give them a very well-marked resemblance to the raptorial birds, and the similarity 

 is almost equally striking in the habits of many of the species. They not only prey upon the 

 insects, worms and mollusca, which constitute the principal part of the animal food of the passer- 

 ine birds, but also frequently attack and destroy small birds and quadrupeds. This resemblance 

 led Cuvier to place the shrikes at the head of the passeres, close to the raptorial birds ; and Lin- 



VOL. II.— 15 



