520 HISTORY OF THE 



Lanius ludovicianus excubitorides (Swains.)- 



WHITE-RUMPED SHRIKE. 

 PLATE XXXI. 



Summer resident; occasionally lingers into winter. Arrive 

 early in the spring; begin laying about the first of May. 



B. 238. R. 149«. C. 188. G. 72, 263. U. 622a. 



Habitat. The central regions of North America, north to the 

 Saskatchewan, southwesterly to Lower California, and over the 

 table lands of Mexico; occasionally stragglers in the States far 

 eastward. 



Sp. Char. Adult: Leadea gray or light slate color, whiteuing ou the scapu- 

 lars and upper tail coverts. Beneath, white, slightly shaded with the French 

 gray on the sides, but without dusl^y vermiculation. A narrow stripe across the 

 forehead, continuous with abroad bar along the side of the head, embracing the 

 eye, black, slightly (if at all) bordered with wliitish. Lower eyelid not white. 

 Wings and tail black, with white markings, much as in the last species. Young: 

 Vermiculated below with dusky, upon a brownish ground, about to the same ex- 

 tent as is seen in very old examples of L. borealis. General tone of the uiiper 

 parts less pure than in the adult; scapulars and tail coverts not purely white; 

 black bar of head less firm, but, as far as it goes, maintaining the characters of 

 the species. At a very early age, the upper parts (including the wliitish of the 

 scapulars and tail coverts) are finely vermiculated with dusky waves. The ends 

 of tlie quills, wing coverts and tail feathers often have rusty or rufous markings. 

 Extreme examples of excubitorides look very different from ludovicianus proper, 

 but the two are observed to melt into each other when many specimens are com- 

 pared, so that no specific character can be assigned. {Coues.) 



Iris brown; bill, legs, feet and claws black. 



This pale race of the Loggerhead Shrike is similar to it in 

 habits and actions, and, like it, occasionally kills small birds and 

 mice, but feeds almost wholly upon grasshoppers, beetles and 

 crickets. It also has the habit of the family of impaling its vic- 

 tims on thorns, etc., but less frequently than the Northern Shrike. 

 Its ordinary voice is harsh and creaking. It has, however, con- 

 siderable talent in the way of mimicry, especially in uttering the 

 notes of birds in distress; and, during the early mating season, 

 I have occasionally heard it sing from a perch a rather pleasing, 

 musical song, interrupted at times with its harsh, grating notes. 



