344 



BIRDS OF ONTARIO. 



weed, red cedar and lUDUutain ash afford them a bountiful supjily of 

 food. Their voice is heard only in a weak call note, easily recoi^nized 

 l)ut ditticult to descril)e. 



In many individuals the secondaries finish with a hard horny 

 appendage, having the appearance of red sealing-wax. This is nut 

 indicative of age or sex, but is most fre(|uently found in the adult 

 male. In some instances the tail feathers are similarly tipped. The 

 use of these appendages is unknown to us. 



Family LANriI>yE. Siihikks. 



Gexus LANIUS Lixx.Kis. 

 LANTIJS IJOREALIS (Vikim..). 



-'.")••'.. Northern Shrike. (<)L'1) 



Clear bluish-ash, hlanohiiig on tlu: luiiii) and scai)ul;ir.s ; l)el<)\\, wliite. 

 always venniculated with Hue wavy Ijlackish lines ; a hlack bar along .side of 

 the head, not meeting its fellow across forehead, interrupted by a white cres- 

 cent on under eyelid, anil ))oi(lered above by hoary white that also occupies 

 the extreme forehead ; wings and tail, l)laek, the former with a laige spot near 

 base of primaries ; and tlie tijjs of most of the quills, white, the latter witli 

 nearly all the feathers broadly tipped willi wliite. and with concealed wliite 

 bars; bill and feet, black. Length, !)-lt); wing, 4^ ; tail, rather more. The 

 yoiiii;/ are similar, but none of the coloi-s are so line oi- so intense ; the entire 

 plumage has a brownish suffusion, and the l)ill is flesii-colored at base. 



H.AB. — Northern North America, south, in winter, to the miildle portions of 



