212 LANIID^ : SHRIKES. 



WHITE-RUMPED LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE. 



Lanius ludovicianus excubitorides (Sw.) Coues. 



Chars. With the size, and essential characters of the head-stripe, 

 of hidovicianus, and the under parts, as in that species, not, or 

 not obviously, waved ; but with the clear light ash upper parts, 

 and hoary whitish supraciliary line, scapulars, and rump, oiborea- 

 lis. " Extreme examples of ludovicianus and excubitorides look 

 very different, but they are observed to melt into each other when 

 many specimens are compared, so that no specific character can 

 be assigned." Some of the New England specimens are of this 

 mixed character, rendering it doubtful which variety such Logger- 

 heads may most properly be considered to represent. 



The assignation of this variety to New England 

 probably arose from a remark made many years ago 

 by Nuttall (Man. Orn., ii, 1834, P- 5^4)- Emmons 

 and Peabody appear to have gone upon this alone ; 

 and when Coues retained the bird in his list of 1868, 

 he was obliged to say : " of very doubtful occurrence " 

 (Pr. Ess. Inst., v, 1868, p. 277). In 1875, Dr. Brewer 

 very properly declined to recognize it, with the remark 

 that it "should be excluded until iis claim is established 

 by positive proof." Such evidence has lately been 

 furnished by Mr. Purdie (Bull. Nutt. Club, ii, 1877, 

 p. 21), who states that Mr. Jencks shot a typical spe- 

 cimen in Cranston, R. I., Sept. 2, 1873. This is the 

 first and so far the only authentic record of actual cap- 

 ture within our limits. But the bird is well known to 

 occur in New York and Canada, in both of which 

 regions it breeds, and instances of its presence in New 

 England will doubtless accumulate, as those relating 

 to the true Loggerhead have already done. As many 

 such specimens will partake in varying degree of the 



