. Birds: the elements of ornithology . The King Tyrant-bird {^Th/ratmusa INTEODrCTION. 121 occasional visitant to this country. It feeds on mice, smallbirds, frogs, lizards, and various insects. The commonest speciesof the genus is the Eed-backed Shrike or Butcher-bird {LaniuscoUurio), and may serve as our type of the whole group. Thename of Butcher-bird has been no doubt occasioned from thecurious habit it has of impaling its prey upon sharp thorns orfixing them into clefts. Tragments of its victims, pieces ofskin, with bleached bones of birds or mice, or the dry hard cases Kg. The Eerl
. Birds: the elements of ornithology . The King Tyrant-bird {^Th/ratmusa INTEODrCTION. 121 occasional visitant to this country. It feeds on mice, smallbirds, frogs, lizards, and various insects. The commonest speciesof the genus is the Eed-backed Shrike or Butcher-bird {LaniuscoUurio), and may serve as our type of the whole group. Thename of Butcher-bird has been no doubt occasioned from thecurious habit it has of impaling its prey upon sharp thorns orfixing them into clefts. Tragments of its victims, pieces ofskin, with bleached bones of birds or mice, or the dry hard cases Kg. The Eerl-backed Shrike {Lardus coUurio). of beetles may be seen suspended all about in the vicinity ofits nest, so that the bush supporting them may be compared toa small butchers shop. This habit is supposed to be due to thefeet of the Bird not being strong enough to hold its food satis-factorily while tearing it with its sharp and toothed bill; sothat it is convenient for it to have its prey securely fixed bysuch an artifice. It may also be that the food is more welcomeafter having become tender by keeping. There are about 266species. 122 ELEMENTS OF OENITHOIOGT. Some forty birds known as Drongo Shrikes are fly-catchingones which associate in flocks. They are Old-World forms,mostly with long, forked tails, -whereof the Black Drongo Shrike{Buchanga atra) may stand as an example. The toothed and powerful beak of the typical Shrikes wouldseem by itself enough to show that such creatures were Birds of Fig. 132.
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookpubl, booksubjectornithology
