NATURAL SCIENCES OP PHILADELPHIA. 213 



Total length (of skin) about 10 inches, (11 inches according to Swainson, as 

 above.) 



2. Lanius septextrionalis, Gmelin. 



Lanius septentrionalis, Gm. Syst. Nat. i. p. 306, (1788.) 



Wilson's Am. Orn. i. pi. 5, fig. 1 ; Aud. B. of Am. pi. 192, oct. ed. iv. pi. 236. 



Described and figured very accurately by both Wilson and Audubon, and 

 well known as a bird of the Middle and Northern States. Total length (of skin) 

 about 9 inches (10 inches, according to Wilson.) Mistaken by Audubon for 

 the preceding, and this species is meant by that author in 15. of Am. octavo 

 edition, iv. p. 130, and in Synopsis of B. of N. A. p. 157, under the name of 

 Lanius borealis. Wilson, in Am. Orn. i. p. 74, gives this species as "Lanius 

 excubitor ?" doubting its identity with the European species of that name. 

 Audubon, in Orn. Biog. ii. p. 534, does not doubt, but gives it as identical, and 

 says, " On comparing this bird with Lanius exmibitor of Europe, I cannot i»erceive 

 differences that could induce me for a moment to conceive them distinct." This 

 author afterwards did perceive and states very differently in Synopsis, p. 158, 

 where differences between this bird and L. excubitor are pointed out, and also in 

 B. of Am. oct. ed. iv. p. 133. This change in perception is, however, very pro- 

 bably due to Mr. Macgillivray, who claims the authorship of Audubon's Synopsis 

 (in Manual of British Ornithology, i. p. 245, London, 1840.) In allusion to 

 Ilirundo purpztrea, Macgillivray says, " The following characters are those given 

 hj/ me in Mr. Audubon's Synopsis." 



3. Lanius ludoviciancs, Linnaeus. 



Lanius ludovicianus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 134, (1766.) 



Lanius carolinensis, Wilson, Am. Orn. iii. p. 57. 



Wilson's Am. Orn. iii. pi. 22, fig. 5, Aud. B. of Am. pi. 57, oct. ed. iv. 237. 



In this species the entire upper parts, including rump and upper tail coverts, 

 are uniform in color, which is bluish cinereous, darker on the head and back. 

 It is smaller than either of the preceding, and appears to be essentially a bird 

 of the Southern United States. 



This species is easily determined from the descriptions and figures of either 

 Wilson or Audubon. Total length (of skin) about 8J inches, (9 inches, accord- 

 ing to Wilson.) 



4. Lasios excubitorides, Swainson, 



Lanius excubitorides, Swains. Faun. Bor. Am. Birds, p, 115, (1831.) 



Swains, and Rich. Faun. Bor. Am. Birds, pi. 34. 



About the size of the preceding, but lighter colored, with the rump and upper 

 tail coverts white, and readily distinguished by the latter character. This 

 species inhabits the Western and Northern States ; being brought abundantly 

 from California, and I have seen it also from Wisconsin. It is very handsomely 

 figured by Swainson, as above cited, but I have never seen a specimen with the 

 reddish or pink tinge on the under parts so clear as represented in his plate, 

 though generally perceptible. 



5. Lanius elegans, Swainson. 



Lanius elegans, Swains. Faun. Bor. Am. Birds, p. 122, (1831.) 



Lanius ardosiaceus, Vieillot, Ois. d'Am. Sept. 1. p. 81, (1807 ?) 



Vieill. Ois. d'Am. Sept. 1, pL 51 ? 



Quite as large as L. septentrionalis, and with same strong form of bill, but in 

 colors more resembling L. ludovicianus. The bill is entirely black, upper parts 

 bluish cinereous, rather dark and quite uniform ; wings and tail black ; primaries 

 with their basal half white, forming a very conspicuous spot on the wing ; 

 secondaries with the basal half of their inner webs white. Outer feathers of 

 tail tipped with white, which color increases in extent to the outermost, which 

 are almost entirely white. Under parts white tinged with ashy. Stripe through 

 each eye, united by a narrow line in front, black ; legs and toes strong, black. 



Total length about 9J inches (9^ inches according to Swainson.) 



1857.] 



