568 PASSERINES. 



to Crows, both in size and plumage. Their name, which in Grreek 

 signifies " winged-head," is given them on account of a wide crest 

 which spreads out above their heads like a parasol. Added to this, 

 the front of the neck is bare, but the lower part is furnished with 

 a thick tuft of feathers, which hang down over the breast. These 

 birds are natives of the forests of Brazil, but little or nothing is 

 known as to their habits. The wide shape of the bill would 

 suggest that they feed chiefly on berries and fruit. 



The Shrike arenus concludes the Passerine order. It com- 

 prises a certain number of birds with tapering or flattened bills, 

 more or less hooked at the point, and deeply indented, and which 

 resemble the Rapacious order in their quarrelsome nature, and in 

 their taste for live flesh. Among them are classed the Great Grey 

 Shrike, the Red-backed Shrike, the Van gas, and the Cassicus. 



The Shrikes proper possess the instinct of destruction in the 

 very highest degree. They dehght in shedding blood and in 

 spreading death wherever they go ; indeed, their evil disposition 

 has become proverbial. Not satisfied with killing with a view of 

 satisfj'ing the lawful needs of hunger, they sacrifice, as if for mere 

 pleasure, insects, birds, and small mammals. They afterwards 

 impale them upon the thorns of bushes and hedges. 



But still we must not condemn these birds with too great a 

 degree of severitj^ No doubt there is, to some extent, cruelty in 

 their actions : but, first and foremost, we are bound to recognise 

 the foresight which the}' show. These victims are stored as 

 a supply in time of need. It is a mistake to think that all 

 creatures which they attack are smaller than themselves. 

 Although not large, thej' arc not afraid of a contest with Ravens, 

 Magpies, and even some of the birds of prej-, when called upon to 

 defend their young. 



Shrikes generally inhabit extensive woods. During the day- 

 time they post themselves in the top branches of the trees, from 

 which they pounce down upon their prey. They fly rather 

 indifferently, but hover with great ease. Their twittering is con- 

 tinual, and some of their melodies are not entirely devoid of charm. 

 They are remarkable for their talent of imitation, and reproduce 

 the songs of all the other birds with such similarity as to be mis- 

 taken for them. Some even go so far as to assert that thev 



