I 
BIRDS—LANIIDAE—COLLYRIO. 323 
Family LANIIDAE. 
Bill strong and compressed, the tip abruptly hooked ; both mandibles distinctly notched, the upper with a distinct tooth 
Dehind, the lower with the point bent up. Tarsi longer than the middle toe, strongly scutellate Primaries ten ; first primary 
half the second, or shorter, (occasionally wanting.) 
The typical species of this family are provided with a bill almost as formidable as that of 
the Qaptores themselves. There are many sub-families in various parts of the world, only two 
of which, however, are found in the United States. 
An exception to the usual rule in the Oscines is seen in the Laniinae, where the lower part of 
the sides of the tarsi behind is divided into scutellae. In C. borealis this same character extends 
over the whole of the outer side of the tarsus, but not on the inner. 
The sub-families of Laniidae belonging to the United States are as follows : 
Laniinae. —Bill very powerful, much compressed, and abruptly hooked, with a very promi¬ 
nent tooth behind the notch. Wings considerably rounded. Tail rather long and graduated. 
Sides of the tarsi scutellate behind. 
Vireoninae. —Bill moderate, cylindrical, somewhat compressed. Wings long, the first 
primary sometimes wanting. Tail short and nearly even. Sides of the tarsi behind not 
scutellate. 
COLLYRIO, Moehri 
Collyrio, Moehring, Genera Avium, 1752, 28. Type Laniws excubitor, L. 
Lanius , of Authors. 
Feathers of forehead stiffened ; base of bill, including nostrils, covered by bristly feathers directed forward. Bill shorter than 
the head, much compressed, and very powerful. Culmen decurved from base, the mandible abruptly bent down in a powerful 
hook, what in acute lobe near the tip. Tip of lower mandible bent upwards in a hook ; the gonys very convex. Rictus with 
long bristles. Legs stout ; the tarsi are rather short, longer than the middle toe ; the lateral equal ; the claws all very sharp 
and much curved. Wings rounded; the first primary about half the second, which is equal to the sixth or seventh. Tail 
longer than the wings, much graduated, the feathre sbroad. 
As already stated, the posterior lateral sides of the tarsus inferiorly exhibit two or three 
small plates, while iu C. borealis these occupy the entire outer side, corresponding in number 
and position with the anterior ones. The inner lateral plate, however, is undivided, except at 
the lower end. 
It is with great reluctance that I adopt another name instead of Lanius for the present genus ; 
but a strict adherence to the law of priority renders this necessary. The genus Lanius was first 
used by Linnaeus in the tenth edition of the Systema Naturae, (1758,) with L. eristatus as the 
type. The twelfth edition has as its type of Lanius the L. forjicatus , now Edolius forjicatus. 
According to the rules of synonymy, the name must be kept for the species with which it was 
first used, which in this case was L. eristatus, a form which is not represented in North 
America. 
The name of Moehring is next in order and is based by him on the “ Falconis species ” of the 
first edition, 1735, and the Ampelidis species” of the sixth edition of the Systema Naturae, 1748, 
genus 78. This has for its type the Lanius excubitor of subsequent editions, and includes also 
the American species. To G. R. Gray is due the merit of first restoring for this, as well as 
many other names of Moehring, the priority to which they are entitled. 
