THE CALIFORxNIA SHRIKE. 357 



It is curious tliat in W'ashingtnn \\x- li;i\e seen no signs of ilic oul-docjr 

 larder, consisting of grasshoppers, mice, garter-snakes, etc., impaled on thorns, 

 which the eastern birds of this species are usually careful to maintain some- 

 where in the vicinity of the nest. It may be simply that the lack of con- 

 venient thorns accounts for this absence, or for the failure of the habit. 



Altho this bird belongs to a bad breed, one containing, among others, the 

 notorious "Xciiiitdtcr," or Ninekiller, of northern Europe, concerning which 

 tradition maintains that it is never satisfied until it has made a kill of nine 

 birds hand-running, the evidence seems to be overwhelmingly in its favor. 

 Birds are found to constitute only eight per cent of this bird's food thruout 

 the year, while, on account of its services in ridding the land of undoubted 

 vermin, its presence is to be considered highly beneficial. 



No. 137- 



CALIFORNIA SHRIKE. 



A. O. U. No. 622 b. Laniiis ludov iciaiuis gambeli Ridgway. 



Description. — Similar to L. I. cvcnbitaridcs but decidedly darker, duller gray 

 abo\e ; underparts more sordid, tinged with brownish or with more or less distinct 

 transverse verniiculation of pale Ijrownish gray on chest and sides of breast; 

 averaging slightly smaller. 



Recognition Marks. — As in ])receding — duller. 



Nesting. — As in L. I. c.vcuhitoridcs — has not yet been reported from W'ash- 

 ington. 



General Range. — Pacific Coast district from southwestern British Columbia 

 to northern Lower California; south in winter to Cape St. Lucas and western 

 IMexico. 



Range in Washington. — Rare summer resident west of the Cascades. 



Authorities. — ? Orn. Com.. Journ. .Ac. Nat. Sci. I'hila. \II. 1837, 193 

 (Columl)ia River). I.aiiiiis liidoiiciaiiiis excubitoridcs Lawrence, Auk, L\. 

 i8<;2. 46. 



RP'SIDEXT Shrikes, presumably referable to this recently elaJMirated 

 subspecies, are exceedingly rare in western Washington. Mr. Bowles has not 

 seen any near Tacoma, and neither Air. Rathbun nor myse]f have encountered 

 them in Seattle. Mr. R. H. Lawrence, however, notes having seen three 

 "W'hite-rumped Shrikes" on June to. 1890. in a small clearing on the TTump- 

 tuli])s River*. 



The smaller Shrikes are birds of the o])en country, and the\- should be 

 found in at least Lewis. Thurston, and Pierce Counties. 



a. Birds of Gray's Harbor, Wash., Auk, \'ol, IX., Jan., 



