Psaris cristatus. 355 



Bill strong, thick, straight, culmen rounded, upper mandible 

 with the tip hooked and notched ; nostrils round, naked, 

 the membrane obsolete ; rictus smooth. 



Wings elongated ; the first quill rather shorter than the second 

 and third which are the longest; between the first and 

 second is a short narrow spurious quill ; the webs on each 

 side of the shafts entire. 



Feet moderate j the lateral scales numerous and oval. 



Tail moderate, even or rounded. 



Generic type, Lanius Cai/anuSy Lin. 



The most striking peculiarity of Psaris is in the bill ; which is 

 little, if at all, depressed, and by its strength and thickness is well 

 calculated for the destruction of small reptiles, and those larger 

 kinds of insects which these birds may probably devour; but this 

 is conjecture, for their economy is at present but little known. 

 The wings are long, and in three species of the group now before 

 me there is a narrow spurious feather inserted between the first 

 and second of the primary quills ; whether this character exists 

 likewise in P. Cuvteri, I have no means of ascertaining ; as the 

 specimen I originally examined has passed into other hands. 



Psaris cristatus. 

 P.fusciis, infra pallide fuhus ; alis ad basin alba macula obtecta 



notatis / vertice nigro, subcristato. 

 Brown, beneath pale fulvous, base of the wings with a concealed 



white spot ; crown black, slightly crested. 



Description, 

 Total length about seven inches. Bill black ; front and upper 

 part of the head deep brownish black, the feathers sufficiently 

 lengthened to form a crest ; sides of the hv^^ad and ears greyish 

 l)rown. The whole of the upper plumage, including the wings 

 and tail, is of a uniform blackish brown colour, but on raising the 

 feathers on the back, there appears a large snowy spot on those 

 immediately adjoining the base of the shoulder, and which are of 

 a soft downy texture. The under parts are fulvous, tinged with 



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