SHRIKES. 325 



FAMILY LANIIDJE. 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. Lanius borealis Vieill. NORTHERN SHRIKE; BUTCHER-BIRD. 

 Ad. Upper 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 grayish 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 W. 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. ludomcianus, 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, 

 with much flapping, and close to the ground till he nears his in- 

 tended perch, which is reached at the last moment by a sudden up- 

 ward turn. 



He is so well known as a bird of hawklike, sanguinary character 

 that most students are astonished when they find out that toward 

 springtime he develops into a vocalist of no mean powers. Often in 

 the warm days of March he may be heard singing on the top of some 

 tail tree, a song that would do credit to a Catbird indeed, it recalls 

 strongly that loquacious songster. He is, I think, a better singer than 

 his southern cousin, but resembles him in habitually impaling his 

 prey on a thorn, a fence barb, or a forked twig. His food consists 

 chiefly of mice, noxious insects, and the equally noxious English Spar- 

 row, so that the Shrike is a bird worthy of all protection. 



ERNEST E. THOMPSON. 



622* Lanius ludovicianus Linn. LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE. (See 

 Fjg. 51.) Ad. Upper parts gray, wings and tail black, primaries white at 

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

 feathers tipped with white ; the outer feather mostly white ; lores black, 

 connected by a narrow black line on the forehead at the base of the bill ; 

 ear-coverts black ; under parts white, sometimes tinged with gray. L., 9*00 ; 



