DICRURIN A. | 
sequently find that these birds lived upon soft caterpillars, 
which they search for among the foliage of high trees. 
Le Vaillant first made us acquainted with this fact, and 
pointed out the group. Nearly all the species are further 
distinguished by the peculiar construction of the feathers 
on the back: they are very thick set, and, when the hand 
is passed over them in a direction towards the head, they 
feel as if intermixed with little sharp spines, concealed 
beneath the surface. This singular construction is seen 
also in the trogons, and, in a less degree, in the families 
of orioles and cuckows: but for what particular purpose 
it is intended, we know not. The genus Phenicornis* 
unites this division to the tyrants: the other genera, 
whose habits are unknown, will be found in the system- 
atic arrangement. 
(8.) We are led to the third division of shrikes, 
called, by Le Vaillant, Drongos (Dicrurine), by those 
ceaterpillar-catchers (Hrucivora Sw.) which have only a 
few acute feathers on their back ; or the genus Oxynotus 
may possibly effect this junction. The Drongos are 
fiycatching birds, having their bill both compressed and 
depressed, and the mouth furnished with very stiff long 
bristles. These are entirely unknown in America, where 
they seem to be represented by the fork-tailed tyrants 
(Milvulus Sw.) : like them they have the tail almost uni- 
versally long and forked ; and they associate, as do the 
American birds, in flocks, something like swallows, pur- 
suing insects upon the wing in every direction. Bees ap- 
pear to be a favourite food with these birds, as they are 
likewise with the king tyrant of North America( Tyrannus 
intrepidus). Some are ornamented with little recurved 
crests in front of the head ; others have the neck feathers 
pointed and of a rich metallic hue ; most have the tail 
remarkably developed ; and nearly all are of a uniform 
- glossy black colour: hence it becomes very difficult to 
distinguish the species, which, in truth, are much more 
numerous than has been generally imagined. In the 
genus Analcipus we first have a few bright colours. Only 
* Zool. Ill. 2d Series, pl. 52. 
B 4 
