History of British animals - University of Guam Marine Laboratory

63 BIRDS. PASSERES. Lanius.ward. Nostrils tubular. Bill with stiff hairs at the base.Middle claw serrated. The second quill longest.38. C. Europeus. European Goatsucker. — Plumage ash-coloured,much freckled with black, white, and brown.Will. Orn. 70. Penn. Brit, Zool. i. 416. Temm. Orn. i. 436 E, NightHawk, Dor-hawk, Fern Owl, Church Owl, Night Garr, Wheel Bird,Goat Owl.—A summer visitant. Near woods.Length about 10 inches; weight 3 ounces. Bill weak, black. Legs scaly,feathered below the knee. Eyes large. Irides dusky. A large white ovalspot on the inner web of the three first quills, and at the end of the two lateraltail feathers of the male only. Makes no nest, but lays its two eggs, whichare white, marbled with brown, on the ground among fern or grass. Feedson moths and beetles. Visits this country in May and departs in August.Makes a singular noise, like a spinning-wheel;hence called in Wales Aderyny-droell,or the Wheel Bird. It has long been charged with sucking the teatsof goats, an operation for which it is disqualified by the form of its bill.Gen. XXII. LANIUS. Shrike.—Toes entirelydivided.Tarsus longer than the middle toe. The third and fourthquills the longest. Bill with stronghairs pointingforwards.39. L. Excubitor. Cinereous Shrike. — Head, neck andback cinereous, with a black band under the eyes.Lanius Merrefs Pin. 170 Lan. cin. major, Will. Orn. 53.—L. Ex. Linn.Syst. i. 135 Great Shrike, Penn. Brit. Zool. i. 213.— L. Ex. Terrim.Orn. i. 142. ; E> Wierangel, Mattagasse ; W, Cigydd mawr—Inhabitswoods.Length 10, breadth 14 inches ; weight above 2 ounces. Bill and legs black.The black band of the eyes reaches the ear covers. Plumage, beneath, white.Wings black ; the roots of the primaries and tips of the secondaries white.Two middle tail-feathers black, the two lateral ones white. The female chieflydiffers in the dingy colour of her white beneath, with her feathers markedwith brown crescents. Nest in bushes. Eggs 6 or 7; white, with brown spots.Young like the female. The food consists of mice, small and birds^ reptiles,which are sometimes stuck on a thorn, and pulled to pieces before being devouredIt remains to be determined whether this species breeds in Britain.It is occasionally found in the beginning of Winter.40. L. Collurio. Red-backed Shrike.— The back, scapulars,and wing covers, ferruginous.L. tertius, Will. Orn. 54—L. Col. Linn. Syst.i. 136. Perm. Brit. Zool.i. 215. Temm. Orn. i. 147— E, Flusher; W, Agydd celh-goch—Asummer visitant of England.Length 7, breadth 12 inches; weight about 2 ounces. Bill and legs black.Forehead, through the eyes to the ears, black. Head, neck, and rump grey.Wings dusky, slightly edged with brown. Plumage, beneath, rose-coloured,inclining to white on the throat and vent. The two middle tail-feathersblack, the others two-thirds white, then black, slightly tipped with white. Inthe female the plumage has more red above and white beneath. The 4 middletail-feathers brown. Builds, in hedges, a nest of moss lined with hair.Egg3 5 or 6, variable in colour. Young like the female. Its principal food is