LANIID.E — THE SHKlKliS. 413 



B. Outer webs of secondaries black to the base. Upper eyelids lilack. 



«. While crcsoeiit on lower eyelid. Bencatli with wavy bars of dusky in 



all stages. Tarsus less than 1.00 ; wing more than 4.50. 



C. borealis. Upper half of nasal tufts white. Black spectacle bordered 

 above the ear-coverts by hoary whitish. Scapulars and upper tail- 

 coverts approaching white. Wing, 4.70 ; tail, 4.70 ; tarsu.s, .93. Hab. 

 Arctic America; in winter south into United States, (^specially into 

 the northern portions. 



b. No white crescent on lower eyelid. Beneath without bars, except in 



young. Tarsus more than 1.00 ; wing less than 4..J0. 



C. ludovicianus. Black spectacle not bordered over ear-coverts with 

 whitisli. 



White jyatch on primanes reacliipg nearly an far as end nffintl quill. 

 Ntisal tuffs entirely black. 



Black of lores and nasal tufts bordered aljove with hoary whitish. 

 Tail white at base ; inner webs of secondaries paler toward margin, 

 but not abruptly white. Beneath entirely white, without ashy tinge 

 laterally, or across breast. Axillars whitish. Uiiper tail-coverts 

 ashy-white, scapulars pure white. Wing, 4.10 ; tail, 4.20 ; tarsus, 

 1.10; bill, ..50. Hab. Western North America from Pacific Coast 

 east to a little beyond the Mississippi, and to Texas. Nearly all of 

 Mexico ........ var. excubitor aides. 



Black of lores, etc., not bordered a1 love liy whitish. Tail black at 

 base. Inner webs of secondaries pure white to the shaft on basal 

 half. Beneath tinged with ashy laterally and across lireast. 

 Scapulars and upper tail-coverts hardly diflcTcnt from back. Bill, 

 .60. Hab. Caliibrnia and fur countries . . . var. robust us. 



■ White patch on primaries reachiiif/ only about half-way to end of 

 first quill. Xasal tuffs lioary-yrayish uhore. 

 Black of lores bordered above by hoary-wliitish. Tail as in elegans, 

 — secondaries as in exoubitoroides. Beneath very strongly tinged 

 with plumbeous laterally and across breast. Upper tail-coverts like 

 the back, posterior scapulars only inclining to white. Axillars 

 plumbeous. Wing, 3.80: tail, 3.95; tarsus, 1.00; bill, .50. Hab. 

 South Atlantic and Gulf States .... var. ludovicianus. 



We now proceed to give a more detailed tal.ile of the.se .specie.s, and under 

 the heading of each shall omit any further description : — 



General Color. Bluish or plumbeous ash above; the outer edges of scapulars, 

 sometimes the foreheail and rump, paler. Beneath white, sometimes with waved 

 transverse dark lines. A broad black stripe from side of upper bill through eye 

 (extending more widely beneath than above it, sometimes wanting above) to end 

 of ear-coverts. Wings (except lesser coverts) and tail black; the former witli 

 a white patch across ba.se of primaries, sometimes on inner webs of secondaries) ; 

 the secondaries tipped with white ; the tail with broad white tips to the lateral 

 feathers, the concealed bases of which are also usually white. 



A. Black cheek-stripes involving eyelid only on upper border of eye, and 

 not meeting across the forehead. A crescentic patch of white in the black 

 below the eye ; upper edge of black stripe behind the eye bordered by hoary 

 whitish. Breast and belly always with distinct, transverse waved lines of 

 dusky. Bill, wlien mature, entirely black. Length about 10 inches. 



