SHRIKE. 61 



63. DRONGEAR SHRIKE. 



Drongear, Levail. Afr. iv. 61. pi. 167. 168. 



THIS is smaller than the Drongo. Bill and legs black; the 

 head is not crested ; plumage in general dull black, with a slight 

 gloss of blue, changing to brown at the ends of the quills ; tail 

 longish, and not greatly forked. The female rather smaller than the 

 male ; young birds have the lower belly striped with white ; the ends 

 of the under tail coverts spotted with the same, and the plumage 

 tinged grey brown. 



This species is common on the east coast of Africa, and in the 

 Mimosa Woods of the Gamtoos of Swarte Cop, and Sondag ; the 

 nest is singular, made in a fork at the ends of branches of the trees, 

 composed of flexible twigs, and is so transparent and thin, as to 

 admit of the eggs being seen through the body of it, for there is no 

 lining ; they are four in number, white, and marked with spots of 

 black, in shape nearly square; the male and female sit in turns. 



64— PHILIPPINE SHRIKE. 



Corvus Balicassius, Ind.Orn.'x: 156. Lin.'i. 156. Gm. Lin.'i. 371. Shaw's Zool. vii. 



352. 

 Monedula philippensis, Bris.'u. 31. t.2. f. 1. Id. Svo.i. 163. Gerin. ii. 1. 154. 

 Choucas de Philippines, Buf. iii. 83. PI. enl. 603. 

 Le Drongup, Levail. Afr. iv. 73. pi. 173. 

 Drongo, Tern. Man. Ed.Yu Anal, p.lxi. 

 Philippine Crow, Gen. Syn.i. p. 381. Id. Sup. p. 78. 



LENGTH almost twelve inches. Bill black, cultrated, hooked 

 at the tip; base of both mandibles beset with bristles, which are 

 more strong on the upper ; tongue lacerated ; irides very deep red ; 

 the whole plumage bright, glossy black, changing into green or 



