SHRIKES. 



325 



FAMILY LANIID^E. SHRIKES. 



The Shrikes, numbering about two hundred species, are largely 

 confined to the Old World. Only two species are found in America, 

 both members of the subfamily Laniince, or true Shrikes. Their char- 

 acteristic habits are described under their respective names. 



621. Lardus borealis Vieill. NORTHERN SHRIKE; BUTCHER-BIRD. 



Ad. Opper parts gray; wings and tail black; primaries white at the base, 

 secondaries tipped with white or grayish ; outer, sometimes all, the tail- 

 feathers tipped with white, the outer feather mostly white ; forehead whitish ; 

 lores grayhh black ; ear-coverts black ; under parts white, generally finely 

 barred with black; bill hooked and hawklike. Im, Similar, but entire 

 plumage more or less heavily barred or washed with grayish brown. L., 

 10-32 ; W., 4-55 ; T., 4-00 ; B. from N., -55. 



Range. Breeds in the interior in the far north (Fort Anderson, MacFar- 

 lane), and migrates southward in winter as far as Kansas and Virginia. 



Washington, rare and irregular \V. V., Nov. to Feb. Sing Sing, tolerably 

 common W. V., Oct. 26 to Apl. 17. Cambridge, common W. V., Nov. 1 to 

 Apl. 1. 



Nest, of twigs, grasses, etc., in low trees or bushes. Eggs, similar in color 

 to those of L. ludovicianus, 1'05 x - 76. 



This bird may be known at once by his colors gray, black, and 

 white by the consternation his appearance causes among the Spar- 

 rows, and by his peculiar flight, which is steady and straightforward, 



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