by William Swainson

“ Nares basales, simplices, rotundæ, juxta marginem sitæ, basi paucis plumulis setaceis incumbentibus. Pedes simplices, tribus digitis anticis æqualiter fissis. Remiges spuriæ nullæ. Cauda brevis: rectricibus duodecim æqualibus.
Typus Genericus Lanius cayanus. Linn., Lath., &c.
Bill strong, thick, conic, the base rounded, towards the top slightly compressed, the top convex, not carinated; both mandibles notched, the tip of the upper hooked. Nostrils basal, simple, round, situated near the margin, the base with a few short incumbent setaceous feathers. ”

“ Bill blueish, three quarters of an inch from the angle of the mouth, and four-tenths from the nostrils, which are ovately round, rather large, and simple, being entirely devoid of an external membrane, but the base is partially covered with small thick-set, short, setaceous feathers; between the eye and base of the bill are a few weak and short hairs ”