Descriptive Inst of the Common Birds 
and has very much the same habits and appear- 
ance as the last species. (Illus. B. B., p. 103.) 
The Shrikes, or Butcher Birds, 34-37 
The shrikes form a well-marked family of 
birds. Their habit is to sit on an exposed 
perch and from thence pounce on to some 
insect on the ground. Thus their habits are 
like those of some birds of prey. Their 
hooked and notched beaks and the broad black 
band that runs from the base of the beak 
through the eye gives them a very sinister 
appearance. They have a variety of notes. 
34. Lanius labtora: The Indian Grey Shrike 
(F. 469), (J. 256), (+11) 
Upper parts French grey ; forehead black ; 
broad black band from base of beak, through 
eye and down the side of the neck. ‘Tail black 
and white; wings black with conspicuous white 
bar. Breast and lower plumage white. 
Sind, Punjab, U. P., C. P., and Western 
Bengal. 
The nest of this and of the other species of 
butcher bird is a deep cup, placed usually in a 
thorny tree, often close up against the trunk. 
Not infrequently bits of rag hang down from 
III 
