52 SHRIKE. 



52— HOOKED-BILLED SHRIKE. 



Lanius curvirostris, Ind. Orn. i. 72. Lin. i. 135. Gm. Lin. i. 299. Gerin. t.60. Shaw's 



Zool. vii. 299. 

 Collurio madagascariensis, J5m.ii. 191. 1. 19. f. 1. /</. 8vo. i. 211. 

 Vanga, ou Becarde a Ventre blanc, Buf.i. 312. Tern. Man. Ed. ii. Anal, p.lix. 

 Ecorcheur de Madagascar, PL enl. 228. 

 Hook-billed Shrike, Gen.Syn.\. 171. 



SIZE of a Blackbird ; length ten inches. Bill black, the tips of 

 both mandibles more crooked than usually seen in other species ; 

 hindhead greenish black ; the rest of the head, and all the under 

 parts white ; upper parts of the body black, the feathers margined 

 with greenish black; greater wing coverts obliquely tipped with 

 white, forming a band on the wing ; quills black, on the first five 

 a white spot, the inner margins are also white ; tail ash-colour half 

 way from the base, afterwards black, the very tip white, the two 

 middle feathers longest ; legs lead-colour. 



A. — Hook-billed Shrike, Gen. Syn. Sup.n. p. 70. var. A. 



This is eleven inches long, and seventeen broad. Bill one inch 

 and three-eighths, colour blue, tip dusky ; about the nostrils several 

 black bristles, and the ends of the mandibles curving as in the other ; 

 head, wings, and tail black ; back dark blue-ash ; rump white ; 

 second wing coverts streaked black and white, some of the outer 

 second quills the same ; beneath, from chin to vent, white, curving 

 on each side to the hind part of the neck, but not meeting there ; 

 between the bill and eye a white patch ; base of the tail white, then 

 black, the two middle feathers black, the outer white within for half 

 an inch at the tip, the rest white just at the tip ; the wings reach 

 to the middle of the tail ; legs black ; the outer toe united to the 



