SOME NOTES ON NEBRASKA BIRDS. 



145 



Gage couutj' (F. A. Colby); "not uncommon as a late migrant in autumn and 

 early spring— probably breeds in Nebraska" (I. S. Trostler) ; Lincoln, March 

 8 (D. A. Haggard). 



Family LANIID-ffi. — Shrikes. 



The shrikes or "butcher birds" are kuown as veritable "brigands" 

 or "pirates" when it comes to the destruction of other forms of life. 

 They are true to their name, and "butcher" for pastime large num- 

 bers of insects, mice, lizards, small snakes, and even birds. They 

 then fly to some thorn bush or barb-wire fence and impale the luck- 

 less victim and leave it for future use, or to dry up and finally blow 

 away. The good they do will outweigh the harm. 



621. Lanius borealis VieilL — Great Northern Shrike, 



West Point, Omaha, Lincoln, Rulo, etc. (L. Bruner); "fall of the year 

 sparingly" (Aughey); "Winter resident, common, arrive in September and 

 probably leave in March" (Taylor); "South in winter to about latitude 35° " 

 (Goss); Beatrice, De Witt (A. S. Pearse) ; Omaha (L, Skow) ; Peru, winter resi- 

 dent (G. A. Coleman); Cherry county (J. M. Bates); Lincoln (R. E. Dinges, J. 

 B. White, D. A. Haggard, etc. ) ; Gage county (F. A. Colby); "quite a common 

 winter resident, arriving at the same time and preying upon the smaller spar- 

 rows " (I. S. Trostler); Sioux county, Feb. 27, 1896 (W. D. Hunter). 



Fig. -iCi. — Great Northern Shrike. 



622. Lanius ludovicianus Linn. — Loggerhead Shrike ; 

 Butcher Bird. 



West Point — breeding, Omaha (L. Bruner); "North irregularly to Ohio, Ver- 

 mont, etc." (Goss); Lincoln (Dr. F. L. Riser), 



