. Cassell's natural history. Animals; Animal behavior. NATURAL IIISTURY. exceedingly iuid watchful, always perching on tlie loftiest and most exposed trees : in which resj)ect they differed from the preceding species, thongh they resembled it in the manner in winch they were feeding when I first saw ;. GROUP II.—, THRUSH-LIKE PASSERES. THE SIXTH FAMILY OF THRUSH-LIKE PERCHING BIRDS. THE CUCKOO SHRIKES (Campophagidit-).* These birds are also known by the name of Caterpillar-catchers and Minivets, and are entirely peculiar to tlie Old World, bnt do not occur in the
. Cassell's natural history. Animals; Animal behavior. NATURAL IIISTURY. exceedingly iuid watchful, always perching on tlie loftiest and most exposed trees : in which resj)ect they differed from the preceding species, thongh they resembled it in the manner in winch they were feeding when I first saw ;. GROUP II.—, THRUSH-LIKE PASSERES. THE SIXTH FAMILY OF THRUSH-LIKE PERCHING BIRDS. THE CUCKOO SHRIKES (Campophagidit-).* These birds are also known by the name of Caterpillar-catchers and Minivets, and are entirely peculiar to tlie Old World, bnt do not occur in the Palsearctic region : that is to say, they are absent from Europe and Northern Asia ; one species only, the Grey Minivet (Pericrocotug + cinereus), extend- ing its range into the country of the Amoor in the eastern part of this region. In appearance these birds have much in common with the Shrikes, or rather, with th« Wood Shrikes of the preceding pages ; the bill, however, is always rather depressed or flattened, showing an approach to the true Flycatchers, but they are easily recognisable by the stiffened sliafts of the rump-feathers, which gives this part a prickly feeling when the thumb is gently pressed directly on to the feathers of the lower back and rump. Very little has been recorded of the habits of the African or Indian species ; but ]Mr. Gould has given a very interesting account of the Australian Cuckoo Slu-ikes. This continent, and the neighbouiing islands of the Malay Archipelago, possess a large number of species; and of one of the largest, the Black-faced Cuckoo Shrike (Grcmcahis melanops), Mr. Gould wi-ites as follows :—" It is a very common bird in New South Wales, but is far less numerous in winter than in summer, when it is so generally dispersed over the colony that to particularise situations in which it may be found is quite nn- necessa-^y : liills of moderate elevation, flats, and plains thinly covered with large trees, being alike resorted to
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