400 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



Sub-fam. Lanian^, True Shrikes. 



Char. — Bill strong, deep, more or less abruptly hooked, and the 

 tip strongly notched ; -wings moderate ; tail moderate or long ; 

 tarsus rather short, stout ; feet short, strong ; lateral toes nearly 

 equal ; middle toe short ; claws sharp. 



The Shrikes are a well known group of birds, found all over the 

 world, except in Australia and South America. They are of plain 

 and sober colours, black, grey, rufous, and white, being the only 

 shades found among them. They watch, in general, from a 

 perch on a tree, and pounce on their insect-prey on the ground. 

 Many of them kill small birds and mammals, such as mice and 

 shrews ; and some of them have the habit of impaling their victims 

 on thorns. Their flight is direct, moderately rapid, with repeated 

 strokes of the wings. 



Gen. Laxius, Lin. (in part). 



Chai\ — Bill short, strongly hooked and toothed, much compressed ; 

 rictal bristles numerous, rather weak ; wings moderate ; 3rd and 4tli 

 quills about equal and longest ; tail somewhat long, graduated ; 

 tarsus short ; feet short, but strong. 



Gray, in his List of Genera, put L. excuhitor under the genus 

 CoUurio, and reserves Lanius for L. cristatus ; but I do not think 

 that there is enough difference to entitle them to different sub- 

 generic rank. 



256. Lanius lahtora, Sykes. 



Collurio, apud Sykes, Cat. 50— Gray and Haedw., III. Lid. 

 Zool., 2, pi. 31— L. burra, do., pi. 32, f. 3— Jerdon, Cat. 49— 

 Blyth, Cat. 868— HoRSF., Cat. 21l~Dudiya latora, i. e. ^ Milky 

 Shrike,' H. — Sufeid latora in N. W. — Kacli-kaclia latora, in 

 Bengal — Chinka helUncki, Tel., also Pedda klriti-gadu, Tel. 



The Indian Grey Shrike. 

 Descr. — Pale blue-grey ; a very narrow frontal streak, continued 

 through the eyes to the nape ; tlie wings and middle tail-feathers, 

 black ; a large band on the wings, formed by a broad band occupy- 



