DUSKY, GRAY, AND SLATE-COLORED 337 
He does destroy numbers of small birds each year, and 
for this we condemn him; but, on the other hand, the 
good he does may outweigh the 
evil. Jerusalem crickets, grass- 
hoppers, field mice, and lizards 
form the largest part of his diet, 
and it would be difficult to com- 
pute his value to the farmer. 
Except for the difference in 
environment, the nesting habits 
of the White-rumped closely re- 
semble those of the California 
Shrike. In fact, but for location, 
an expert can scarcely distinguish 
the nest and eggs of the one 
from those of the other, and the 
622 a. WHITE- 
RUMPED SHRIKE. ! 
* Tmpaling their prey on thorns.” 
sets of different pairs of birds often differ as much as 
those of the two species. 
622b. CALIFORNIA SHRIKE. — Lanius ludovicianus 
gam heli. 
Famity: The Shrikes. 
Length : 8.00-10.00. 
Adults: Upper parts slate-gray, tinged with brownish ; upper tail-cov- 
erts sometimes abruptly light grayish, 
or even white, same as the 
white-rumped shrike.; under parts dull white or grayish, darker on 
sides ; breast usually distinctly undulated or narrowly barred with 
grayish, and sometimes tinged with pale brown. 
Young: Similar to adults, but colors less distinctly contrasted. 
Geographical Distribution: California, especially the coast district. 
California Breeding Range: Coast region from Red Bluff to San Diego. 
22 
