344 



BIRDS OF ONTARIO. 



weed, I'ed cedar and mountain ash afford them a bountiful supply of 

 food. Their voice is heard only in a weak call note, easily recognized 

 but difficult to describe. 



In many individuals the secondaries finish with a hard horny 

 appendage, having the appearance of red sealing-wax. This is not 

 indicative of age or sex, but is most frequently found in the adult 

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

 use of these appendages is unknown to us. 



Family LANIID^. Shrikes. 



Genus LANIUS Linn.eus. 



LANIUS BOREALIS (Vieill.). 



253. Northern Shrike. (621) 



Cleai' bluish-ash, blanching on the rump and scapulars ; l)elo\^^ white, 

 always vermiculated with line wavy blackish lines ; a Idack bar along side of 

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

 cent on under eyelid, and Ijordered aljove by hoary white that also occupies 

 the extreme forehead ; wings and tail, black, the former with a lai'ge spot near 

 base of primaries ; and the tips of most of the quills, white, the latter with 

 nearly all the feathers broadly tipped with white, and with concealed white 

 bars; bill and feet, black. Length, 9-10; wing, 4^ ; tail, rather more. The 

 youiKj are similar, but none of the colors are so fine or so intense ; the entire 

 plumage has a brownish suffusion, and the bill is flesh-colored at base. 



Hab. — Northern North America, south, in winter, to the middle portions of 



