BIRDS OF 



a guide to a proper understanding of the matter I have given 

 the technical descriptions of both, but hold my own opinion 

 that of the two only Excubitorides ha.s been found in Ontario. 



LANIUS LUDOVICIANUS EXCUBITORIDES (Swains.). 



243. White rumped Shrike. 622 a. 



With the size and essential characters of head stripe of var ludovicianus. 

 and the under parts, as in that species, not or not obviously waved, but with 

 the clear light ashy upper parts and hoary whitish superciliary line, scapu- 

 lars and rump of horcalis. 



Hab Western United States, east to the Middle and New England 

 Breeding as far north as Northern New York and Northern New England 

 Rare or local east of the Alleghanies. 



Nest, in a tree or bush, seldom more than lo feet from the ground , 

 exteriorly built of prickly twigs, interwoven with strips of bark, rags, twine 

 and rootlets, lined with fine grass and pieces of cotton waste picked up on 

 the railroad track. 



Eggs, 4 to 6, light grayish color, spotted with yellowish-brown. 



Besides the great northern Butcher Bird {Lanius Borealis) 

 there are two Shrikes, smaller in size, described as North 

 American. One is the Loggerhead Shrike of the south-east, 

 and the other the White-rumped Shrike, which was originally 

 described as a western species, but has of late years been 

 extending its territory to the eastward, north of the Logger- 

 head's range. Taking examples from the south-east to compare 

 with those from the north-west the difference is seen at once, 

 but as they approach each other in habitat they also approach 

 each other so closely in appearance that we are almost brought 

 to the conclusion that the\' are simply different races of the 

 same bird which should not have been separated. Those found 

 in Ontario are of the western race. They were first observed about 

 i860, and have since become quite common, extending north to 

 the banks of the Sasketchewan, where they were observed by 

 Prof. Macoun. The species is also included in Mr. Seton's list of 

 the " Birds of Western Manitoba," and is said to be " abundant 

 all over " from May till September. 



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