THE MIGRANT SHRIKE. 289 
some winter songster’s gore. I, for one, am willing to accept with becoming 
humility the verdict of the leading stomachologists with reference to most 
birds, but when one of them extols the moderation of the Northern Shrike, I 
reserve the right to do a little incredulous grumbling. It is true that the bird 
sometimes allows his fond glance to fall upon the English Sparrow—and in 
so far he is above reproach—but it is not recorded that the creature exercises 
proper discrimination between the beggar in fustian and our gentle guests of 
woodland and weed-lot. No doubt, too, our northern brigand would eat mice 
or grasshoppers hy preference, and does when opportunity offers, but it is no 
fault of ours that we cannot set such viands before his butchership in winter, 
so that he must needs fall to eating our Juncoes and Goldfinches. The slaugh- 
ter of Horned Larks and the terrorizing of an innocent band of Tree Sparrows 
are offences not easily forgiven. Have at thee, Sirrah! My gun is loaded! 
No. 128. 
MIGRANT SHRIKE. 
A. LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE. 
A. O. U. No. 622. Lanius Judovicianus Linn. 
Description.—Adult: Dark bluish gray above; rump just perceptibly 
lighter; lower scapulars tipped with black; wings black, a small white spot at 
base of primaries; the inner quills narrowly tipped with white; tail black, the 
outer pair of feathers broadly tipped with white, and the succeeding pairs less so or 
not at all; below grayish white, sordid on breast, but everywhere strongly con- 
trasting with upper parts; narrow frontal line, including nasal tufts, lores and 
ear-coverts, black,—continuous, and passing mostly below eye; bill and feet black. 
Immature: Colors of adult less strongly contrasted; lower parts washed with 
brownish; loral bar obscure; more or less vermiculated with dusky all over (in 
younger birds), or upon the under parts alone; ends of wing-quills, coverts, and 
tail-feathers often with ochraceous or rusty markings. Length 9.00 (228.6) ; 
wing 3.78 (96.); tail 3.70 (94.); bill .61 (15.5). ‘The description is from a 
typical South Carolina bird in the O. S. U. collection. Ohio birds, even when 
clearly referable to this form, average much lighter and somewhat larger. 
Recognition Marks.—Chewink to Robin size; dark gray above; whitish 
below; black patch on head; white spot on wing; breast of adult unmarked, as 
distinguished from L. borealis; dark gray or ashy on rump, as distinguished from 
L. 1. excubitorides. 
Nest, a bulky, but well put together mass of sticks, thorn-twigs, weed-stalks 
and the like, carefully lined with plant-down, wool or feathers, placed five to 
