BIRDS — LANIIDAE — COLLYEIO. 323 



Family LANIIDAE. 



Bill strong and compressed, the tip abruptly hooked ; both mandibles distinctly notched, the upper with a distinct tooth 

 nehind, the lower with the point bent up. Tarsi longer than the middle toe, strongly scutellate Primaries ten ; first primary 

 half the second, or shorter, (occasionally wanting.) 



The typical species of this family are provided -with a bill almost as formidable as that of 

 the Qaptores themselves. There are many sub-families in various parts of the world, only two 

 of which, however, are found in the United States. 



An exception to the usual rule in the Oscines is seen in the Laniinae, where the lower part of 

 the sides of the tarsi behind is divided into scutellae. In O. borealis this same character extends 

 over the whole of the outer side of the tarsus, but not on the inner. 



The sub-families of Laniidae belonging to the United States are as follows : 

 Laniinae. — Bill very powerful, much compressed, and abruptly hooked, with a very promi- 

 nent tooth behind the notch. Wings considerably rounded. Tail rather long and graduated. 

 Sides of the tarsi scutellate behind. 



ViBEONiNAB. — Bill moderate, cylindrical, somewhat compressed. Wings long, the first 

 primary sometimes wanting. Tail short and nearly even. Sides of the tarsi behind not 

 scutellate. 



COLLYRIO, Moehring. 



Colbjrio, MoEHRiNG, Genera Avium, 1752, 28. Type Lonius excuUtor, L. 

 Lanma, ofAoTHORs. 



Feathers of forehead stiffened ; base of bill, including nostrils, covered by bristly feathers directed forward. Bill shorter than 

 the head, much compressed, and very powerful. Culmen decurved from base, the mandible abruptly bent down in a powerful 

 hook, what in acute lobe near the tip. Tip of lower mandible bent upwards in a hook ; the gonys very convex. Rictus with 

 long bristles. Legs stout ; the tarsi are rather short, longer than the middle toe ; the lateral equal ; the claws all very sharp 

 and much curved. Wings rounded; the first primary about half the second, which is equal to the sixth or seventh. Tail 

 longer than the wings, much graduated,|^the feathers broad. 



As already stated, the posterior lateral sides of the tarsus inferiorly exhibit two or three 

 small plates, while in G. borealis these occupy the entire outer side, corresponding in number 

 and position with the anterior ones. The inner lateral plate, however, is undivided, except at 

 the lower end. 



It is with great reluctance that I adopt another name instead of Lanius for the present genus ; 

 but a strict adherence to the law of priority renders this necessary. The genus Lanivs was first 

 used by Linnaeus in the tenth edition of the Systema Naturae, (1'758,) with L. cristattis as the 

 type. The twelfth edition has as its type of Lanius the L. forficatus, now Edolius forjicatus. 

 According to the rules of synonymy, the name must be kept for the species with which it was 

 first used, which in this case was L, cristatus, a form which is not represented in North 



America. 



The natnt of Moehring is next in order and is based by him on the "Falconis species" of tbe 

 first edition, 1735, and the Ampelidis species" of the sixth edition of the Systema Naturae, 1748, 

 genus 78. This has for its type the Lanius excuUtor of subsequent editions, and includes also 

 the American species. To G. E. Gray is due the merit of first nestoring for this, as well as 

 many other names of Moehring, the priority to which they are entitled. 



