BIRDS. RAPACIOUS. Shrike. 541 



tooth-like procefs; the bafe is naked: The tongue is jagged, 

 as if torn at the extremity. 



This genus forms a link of the chain of being, connecting the order of Rapacious birds with thofe 

 which are called Pies ; it agrees with the former in the ftrength, and, in fome degree, the form of 

 the bill, and in living by prey ; while it refembles the latter in its general manners and appearance, 

 in the form of its tongue and tail, and in the ftrufture of its feet ; it comes neareft in general form 

 to the Magpie, and is named Pie-griefche by the French ornithologifts. The noftrils are generally 

 round, and covered with ftiff briftles ; the toes are divided to their origin, except the middle one, 

 which is {lightly connected to the outer toe; the tail is, for the moft part, though not always, wedge- 

 like, or longer in the middle than at the fides, the middle riling higher than the reft, and the fides 

 doubled down. In general, the birds of this genus are noify and quarrelfome, from which circum- 

 ftance they are called Wranglers, Wariangles *, in old Englifh writers ; they . prey on fmall birds 

 and infects, and tear their prey to pieces, fticking the fragments on thorns, whence they get the name 

 of Butcher birds ; but in fyftem the fingle appellation of Shrike is preferable, derived from their 

 »oify manners. They are found in all quarters of the world, and in all climates, except within the 

 Arftic circle. 



I. Drongo Shrike. — 1. Lanius forficatus ; 1. 



The tail is forked j the forehead is ornamented with an ere&ed creft ; the plumage is 

 greenifh black. 



L. forficatus. Lath. ind. orn. i. 66. n. i. — Mufcicapa madagafcarieniis criftata^ Briff. av. ii. 388. 

 n. 16. t. 37. f. 4. — Drongo. Buff. oif. iv. 586. — Gobe-mouche huppe, de madagafcar. PI. enl. 

 n. 189. — Crefted fork-tailed Shrike. Lath. fyn. i. 158. n. 1. 



Inhabits the Cape of Good Hope, Madagafcar, and China. — This fpecies is ten inches long; the 

 creft is erected from the forehead, juft behind the bafe of the bill, but is fometimes wanting, perhaps 

 in female fpecimens ; the tail is long. 



2. Malabar Shrike. — Lanius malabaricus. 



Of a bluifh black colour, the tail and the wing quills being black ; the outer tail quill 

 of each fide is very long and has no webs, except on the outer fide near the extre- 

 mity. Lath. ind. orn. i. 66. n. 2. 



Drongo de malabar. Buff. oif. iv. 587. — Gobe-mouche de malabar. Sonner. it. ii. t. m. — Ma- 

 labar Shrike. Lath. fyn. fup. 56. t. 108. 



Inhabits Malabar. — This fpecies is feventeen inches and a half long ; the feathers of the head and 

 neck are very narrow ; in fome fpecimens the head is ornamented with a very large, woolly, pendent 

 creft, which covers the whole top of the head. 



3- 



* Chaucer's Freres tale, as quoted by Mr Pennant, who explains the term as above, though perhaps 

 the German name Wurch-angd, Worrying, or Suffocating, angel, i. e. Devil, may be a better etymology 

 of Chaucer's expreffion. — T. 



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