358 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



are largely insectivorous, devouring immense numbers of measuring worms, 

 canker worms and even hairy caterpillars, ranking close to the cuckoos 

 and orioles in this respect. As soon as small fruits like sour cherries and 

 berries begin to ripen they become a great nuisance to the fruit grower, 

 destroying large quantities of cherries in a few days, this species and the 

 Robin being the most destructive of small fruits of all our species of New 

 York birds. Nevertheless, I believe they should be protected, on account 

 of the great benefit they otherwise perform, except in special cases where 

 they have become too destructive on the fruit farm. 



Family LANIIDAE 



Shrikes 



Bill stout, notched and toothed, hooked at the tip, strongly mimicking 

 that of the birds of prey ; feet typically passerine in structure, not noticeably 

 stronger than those of other perching birds; primaries 10 in number; 

 rectrices 10; both the wings and tail moderately long and rounded; rictus 

 bristled ; nostrils circular, more or less concealed by tufts of bristly feathers. 



The shrikes are stout, bold, quarrelsome birds; in them the predatory 

 disposition reaches a climax among the Passeres. In cruelty and ability 

 to destroy their weaker brethren, they fully equal the smaller hawks and 

 owls. They are carnivorous and insectivorous in diet. The smaller 

 varieties, such as our Migrant or Summer shrike, are mostly beneficial 

 on account of their habit of destroying mice, grasshoppers and the larger 

 beetles. The nests of shrikes are rather bulky affairs, the interior deeply 

 cupped and lined with feathers. The eggs are 4 to 6, speckled, and of 

 .an elongated oval shape. 



Lanius borealis Viaillot 

 Northern Shrike 



Plate 01 



Lanius borealis Vieillot. Ois. Amer. Sept. 1807(1808). 1:80, pi. 50 

 Lanius septentrionalis DeKay. Zool. N. Y. 1844. pt 2, p. 127, fig. 81 

 Lanius borealis A. O. U. Check List. Ed. 3. 1910. p. 296. No. 621 



lanius, Lat., a butcher; borealis, northern 



Description. Upper parts gray; wings and tail black; a conspicuous 

 white patch in the wing near the base of the primaries; the outer tail feathers 



