SHRIKES. 



457 



Frontal shrike This shrike-tit is a bird of great animation and sprightliness ; its 



Tit - chief food consisting of insects, which are obtained either among the 



foliage of trees or under the bark of the larger branches and trunks. In procuring 

 them, the bird exhibits great dexterity, stripping oft' the bark in the most 

 determined manner, for which purpose its powerful bill is admirably adapted. 

 Whilst searching the branches for food, it frequently erects its crest and assumes 

 many pert and lively positions ; and no bird of its size possesses greater strength 

 in its mandibles, or is capable of inflicting more severe wounds. Its song 

 consists only of a few piping notes. The male has the crest pure black, the sides 



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0\ s • -V 



FHOXTAL SHRIKE-TIT (S liat. size). 



of the head white, divided by a black line, the back, shoulders, and wing-coverts 

 olive, the primaries, secondaries, and tail blackish brown margined with grey, the 

 two outer tail-feathers and the tips of the remainder being white; while the 

 throat is black, and the under-parts are bright yellow. 



The true shrikes (Lanius) have the large compressed bill, hooked 



True shrikes. ^ toothed, and thus adapted to enable them to tear the flesh 



of the small mammals and birds upon which they often prey. The wings are 



moderate in length but comparatively powerful, the tail is generally much longer 



