OF DICRURUS. 



21 



III. 



Order Insessores. Tribe Dentirostres. Family Laniidse. Genus 



Dicrurus. 



\Shaw, 13. 137. 8. 9. 

 J Do. 7. 291. &c. 



Bill rather longer than the head, very smooth, stout, nearly straight, 

 at the gape broader considerably than high, base clothed with short 

 quasi-setaceous feathers, and stout bristles, pointing forward and out- 

 wards : both mandibles with their sides rounded and tips acute ; upper 

 mandible somewhat sharpened above or along the ridge ; its edges 

 somewhat overlaying those of the lower one ; slightly dentated and hook- 

 ed at the tip : lower mandible, rather flattened beneath, slightly emargi- 

 nate and recurved at the tip. Gape rather wide, and furnished with 

 bristles. Nostrils round, lateral, basal, partially concealed by short 

 quasi-setaceous feathers. Legs rather short : four toes, three before, one 

 behind ; central toe and claw equal to tarsi ; outer fore toe not quite so 

 far cleft as inner ; hind toe and claw stouter than central fore ones : 

 claws very sharp and hooked. 



Wings long and acuminated. Fourth quill longest ; first very insignifi- 

 cant. Tongue flat, of moderate length, near the tip cartilaginous and jag- 

 ged, tip forked. Tail very long and conspicuously forked ; consisting of 

 ten feathers disposed in pairs, whereof the uppermost pair are shortest, 

 and lowest longest by one and a half inch ; intermediate ones regularly 

 graduated in length. 



G 



Dicrurus coerulescens ? 

 Di. oeratus ? 



Di. Indicus ? 



