ClafsIL BUTCHER BIRD. 161 



Genus III. BUTCHEP. BIRDS, 



Species I. GREAT ASH COLORED BUTCHER 



BIRD. 



La grande Pie grlefche. Se/ofi Butcher Bird, Murdering Bird or 



av. 126. Skreek. Mer. Pincix lyo. 



Lanius cinereus. Gefner aru. 579, Cat. Carol, app. 36. 



Skrike, nyn murder, humeri. '^\^\x.J3iX. Mart. Nor thampt. 424. 



Lanius cinereus, CoUurio major. La Pie-grieiclie griie. Brijjon ay, 



Aldr. a-v. 1. 199. ii. H^- 



Caftrica, Ragaftola. Olina 41. PL enl. 32, f. I. 



Greater Butcher Bird, or Matta- Lanius excubitor. Lin.fjjl. xi^^. 



pefs ; in the North of England, Warfogel. Faun. Suec. 80. 



Wierangle. J'VU. om. 87. Dani/h Torn-Skade. Nor've^is 

 Raii/m- a'v. 18. Klavert. Br. 21. Z2. 



Speralfler, Grigelalfter, Nean- Br-ZooL-ji. plate C. 



todter. Kram. 364. 



THIS bird weighs three ounces; its length is ten Defer, 

 inches : its breadth fourteen : its bili is black, 

 one inch long, and hooked at the end ; the upper 

 mandible furniilied with a iliarp procefs : the noftrils 

 are oval, covered with black briiiles pointing down- 

 wards : the mufcles that move the b'll are very thick 

 and ftrong -, which makes the head very large. This 

 apparatus is quite requifite in a fpecies whole method 

 of killing its prey is fo fmgular, and whofe manner 

 of devouring it not iefs extraordinary: fmall birds it 

 will feize by the throat and ilrangle * j which proba- 



1 » 



bly is the reafon the Germans call this bird Wurchangel 

 or the fufFocating angel. When it has kiiJed the prey, 

 which is birds or infedls, it fixes them on fome thorn^ 

 and when thus fpitted pulls them to pieces with its 

 bill : on this account the Germans call it Thorntrdtr 



* Ed-w, CI, iii. 233. f WiL cr,7. S7. 



