LANIID.K — THE SHRIKES. 421 



coloration of the tail, tliese were eonsidered as resulting from an imperfect 

 description. Messi"S. Sliarpe and ])res.ser, however, as quoted above, show 

 that Swaini^on's tyi>e really hclongs to L. bihtuni, an Old World species. 

 We therefore find it exj)edi('nt to tjive a new name to the variety, having no 

 reason to discredit the alleged locality X the specimen. 



Collurio ludovicianus, var. excubitoroides, Baird. 



WESTERN L060EKHEAD ; WHITE-RUHPED SHRIKE. 



Laniits c.rcuhifti,-(ii(fcs, S\vains(»n, F. B. A. II, 1*31, ll.j ^Sa^katdu'wan). — (JAMnni., Pr. 

 A. N. So. 1S47, -Hm ((ala.). — r.vssiN, I'r. A. N. Sc. IS.'J, 2U. -Sii.Arili:, l\ Z. S. 

 1864, 173 ^City (»f Mexico). Cofh/rio r.i-cit//ifi>ri>'ifrs, IJaii'I), IJirds N. Am. 1^')^, '>'27. 

 CuUuriu tjx'ub. IJaikI), Kiv. Am. B. lht;4, 44.'>. — C'ooi'Ki:, Orn. Cal. I, Ls7o, l:!>. 

 ? LitniuH invxicuiiHs, HuHii.M, Cab. .Tour. II, lh.")4, 14r». — Silatki:, fatal. 1801, 4*! 

 (Mexico). LdiiliiK Iiiihricifniu'i, Max. Cab. Jour. 1858, 191 ^L"|»]ier Mi^Mniri). — 

 Dkesskk k SiiAKi'K, P. Z. S. 1870, 595. 



Hab, Western Province of North America, as far north as Oreiron ; Middle North 

 America, to the Saskatchewan, and east to Wisconsin, Michii^an, and IllinoLs ; south tt) 

 Orizaba and Oaxaca, and City of Mexico ; Cape St. Lucas. 



Tlie precise houndaries between this si)ecies and C. Indovukunis are diffi- 

 cult of definition, as the transition is almost insensible. 



The young bi'd is pale fulvous-ash above, everywhere with transverse 

 crescentic bars of dusky. Two bands of mottled pale fulvous across wings, 

 on tips of middle "^nd greater coverts. Tail tipped with ochraceous, the 

 white feathei^s ':;nged with the same, lireast and sides with obsolete hars of 

 dusky. Black band on side of head rather obsolete. 



In its extreme stage of coloration it ditVers from h'dovi'ciarufs in paler and 

 purer color ; the ash of liack lighter ; the under ])arts brilliant white, not 

 decidedly pluml»eous on the sides as in the other, and without so great a 

 tendency to the usual obsolete wave«l lines (noticed distinctly only in winter 

 or immature birds) ; the axillars ])luis]i-white, not ])lumbeous. Tiie white 

 of wings and tail is more extended ; the hoary of forehead and whitish of 

 scapulai's more distinct. The bristles at base of bill somewhat involving the 

 feathers are bhick, Ibrmiiig a narrow froiital line, not seen in the other. The 

 most striking ditterence is in the rump and u})per tail-coverts, which are 

 always appreciably and abru}»tly lighter than t^he back, sometimes white or 

 only faintly glossed with plunil)eous; while in typical specimens of Icilo- 

 vicianvs these feathei's are scarcely lighter at all, and generally more or less 

 varied with blackish spots at the end. The legs and tail are a]>parently longer, 

 the latter less graduated. These diiferences are, however, most a}>preciable in 

 specimens from the Middle and Western Provinces. Those from the Western 

 States, e.ast of the Miss uri IJiver, as far north as Wisconsin, are more inter- 

 mediate between the two, although still nearest to the llocky Mountain bird 



