s 



THE OOLOGIST 



"tion of the Eastern United States gen- 

 erally, has been understood to be as 

 follows: 



Three species occurring, — or rather 

 two species and a sub-species. First 

 the Northern Shrike (Lanius borealis) 

 breeding in the boreal regions and com- 

 ing down regularly each fall to spend 

 the winter or a goodly portion thereof 

 in this latitude; second, the Logger- 

 -head Shrike {Lanius ludovicianus), an 

 inhabitant of the southern states which 

 but very rarely strays as far north as 

 New York, although the editor of The 

 OoLOGiST a few ypars since found the 

 bird breeding in the vicinity of his home 

 at Gaines, N. Y., and third, the White- 

 Tumped Shrike [Lanius ludovicianus 

 excubitorides) a varied form of the pre- 

 ceding, occurring quite commonly as a 

 summer resident and breeding in April 

 and June. 



The above is the hitherto supposed 

 status of the family in the northern 

 East. Now, for a recent development. 



During one of my trips to New York 

 City, early in the present year, I took 

 time to run up to the American Muse- 

 um of Natural History, where consider- 

 able time was most profitably spent in 

 the bird section. I was particularly in- 

 terested in the collection of "Birds 

 found within Fifty Miles of New York," 

 arranged by Mr. Frank M. Chapman. 

 Much time can be spent to good profit 

 in looking over the collection. And I 

 iound that no species of the White- 

 rumped Shrike was present, but that 

 the Loggerhead Shrike was represented 

 as a common summer resident. This 

 was the first intimation I had had that 

 it was the true ludovicianus instead of 

 excubitorides that occurred as a sum- 

 mer resident in these latitudes. Mr. 

 Chapman being at the time in Mexico 

 I could not confer with him in regard 

 to the matter, but later on I wrote him 

 a letter asking him what he considered 

 the true status of the Shrike in this sec- 

 ition .and stating that I had always con- 



sidered that it was the Whiterumped 

 Shrike that occurred here. His reply 

 to my letter is as follows: 



"New York City, May 14. 1897. 

 Mr. Neil F. Posson, Medina, N. Y. 



Dear Sir: — Returning from Mexico 

 I find yours of April 12th. I am glad 

 to know that you were pleased with 

 our local collection, which has proven 

 of much service to bird-students here. 



I consider all small Shrikes east of 

 the Mississippi to be ludovicianus and 

 you will find that the recent A. O. U. 

 list confirms this opinion. Birds from 

 Western New York are not typical lud- 

 ovicianus, but I think are nearer to this 

 form than they are to excubitorides. 



I have never had the fortune to work 

 in your part of the state and cannot 

 therefore give you any records. Should 

 any come to my notice, however, I 

 shall be happy to send them to you. 

 Yours very truly, 



Frank M. Chapman." 



It was my intenlion, after learning 

 this, to settle the Shrike question defi- 

 nitely one way or the other, by secur- 

 ing this season a number of specimens 

 of our Western New York Shrikes and 

 submitting them to experts for a care- 

 ful examination, but this I have been 

 unable to do, inasmuch as I have been 

 away from home, practically, through- 

 out the entire year. 



Here is a good field of work for some 

 local ornithologist the coming season, 

 who has the time and opportunity to col- 

 lecta few specimensof our Western New 

 York Shrikes. Let us determine wheth- 

 er we have been working on erroneous 

 premises all these years. 



Neil F. Posson. 



How to do it. 



All you have to do is, enclose in an 

 envelope, 75 cents, stamps or postal or- 

 der. I will send to you by return mail 

 a well labeled collection of Shells and 

 Curios from this locality. If you do 

 not find them satisfactory return them 

 and I will return your money. All 

 specimens in natural state. 



W. H. HILLER, 



147 W. 23d St., Los Angeles, Calif. 



