344 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. 



weed, red cedar and mountain ash afford them a bountiful supply of 

 food. Their voice is heard only in a weak call note, easily recognized 

 but difficult to describe. 



In many individuals the secondaries finish with a hard horny 

 appendage, having the appearance of red sealing-wax. This is not 

 indicative of age or sex, but is most frequently found in the adult 

 male. In some instances the tail feathers are similarly tipped. The 

 use of these appendages is unknown to us. 



FAMILY LANIID^J. SHRIKES. 



GENUS LANIUS LINNAEUS. 

 LANIUS BOREALIS (VIEILL.). 



253. Northern Shrike. (621) 



Clear bluish-ash, blanching on the rump and scapulars ; below, white r 

 always vermiculated with fine wavy blackish lines ; a black bar along side of 

 the head, not meeting its fellow across forehead, interrupted by a white cres- 

 cent on under eyelid, and bordered above by hoary white that also occupies 

 the extreme forehead ; wings and tail, black, the former with a large spot near- 

 base of primaries ; and the tips of most of the quills, white, the latter with 

 nearly all the feathers broadly tipped with white, and with concealed white 

 bars; bill and feet, black. Length, 9-10; wing, 4 ; tail, rather more. The 

 young are similar, but none of the colors are so fine or so intense ; the entire 

 plumage has a brownish suffusion, and the bill is flesh-colored at base. 



HAB. Northern North America, south, in winter, to the middle portions of 



