594 BRITISH BIRDS. 



Genus LANIUS. 



The genus Lanius was established in 1766, by Linnaeus in his 'Systema 

 Naturse/ i. p. 135^ for the reception of a heterogeneous collection of birds, 

 many of them belonging to different and somewhat distantly connected 

 families. From this motley group Cuvier removed the Tyrant Shrikes in 

 1801 ; and Vieillot restricted the genus to its present dimensions in 1816, in 

 his "^ Analyse d'une nouvelle Ornithologie elementaire,' p. 40. Vieillot 

 designated le Pie-Cfri&che grise (Lanius excubitor) as the type. 



In the genus Lanius the bill very closely resembles that of a Falcon, 

 but is elongated like that of a Crow, the upper mandible being strongly 

 hooked and deeply toothed ; the nostrils are partly hidden by short 

 feathers and stiff bristles like those of the Crows ; the wings and tail are 

 very variable. 



This genus contains about forty species. It is well represented in the 

 Nearctic, Palsearctic, Ethiopian, and Oriental Regions, but is apparently 

 absent from the Australian and Neotropical Regions. Six species are 

 found in Europe, one of which is a regular summer visitant to the British 

 Islands, whilst four others are only accidental stragglers to our shores. 



The Shrikes are birds closely resembling the Raptores in many of their 

 habits. They are solitary birds, and frequent the outskirts of wooded 

 districts and the bushes on commons, usually perching on the topmost 

 twigs, like Flycatchers, to secure their food, which consists of large 

 insects (beetles) and, more rarely, small birds, mice, frogs, and lizards. 

 They have the peculiar habit of spitting their captures on thorns or 

 placing tliem in the forks of branches, for the purpose of securing them 

 while they pull them to pieces. Their call -notes are harsh; but many 

 species are possessed of considerable musical powers. They build some- 

 what bulky open nests, placing them in bushes and tall hedgerows ; the 

 nests are constructed of twigs, rootlets, the stems o£ plants, sometimes with 

 the flowers attached, and are lined with hair, wool, and feathers. Their 

 eggs are very characteristic, boldly spotted with brown of various shades 

 on a ground-colour varying from nearly white to buff or pale green. 



