LANIUS LUDOVICIANUS : LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE. 2(X) 



This matter aside, the Shrike is chiefly known in 

 New England as a migrant and winter resident, from 

 October until April. They may be seen in any kind 

 of locality, singly, on the lookout for the small birds 

 and quadrupeds which form their prey after the sup- 

 ply of grasshoppers and other insects ceases. Bold 

 and even rash in their actions, they sometimes leave 

 the woods and fields to enter cities, apparently attract- 

 ed by the abundance of European Sparrows. They 

 have frequently been seen in Boston and elsewhere, 

 too often meeting the fate which ignorance and folly 

 have in store for feathered friends, being shot without 

 mercy. One winter, says Merriam, it was no uncom- 

 mon thing to see a Shrike flying across the street in 

 New Haven with a Sparrow in its talons. "The 

 ' poor Sparrows,' unused to danger of any sort, were 

 utterly helpless, and at one time it seemed as if we 

 were actually going to be rid of the little pests." Ac- 

 cording to Dr. Coues, " Boston could hardly do a wiser 

 thing, as far as the Sparrow plague is concerned, than 

 support a colony of Shrikes." 



LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE. 

 LANIUS LUDOVICIANUS Z. 



Chars. Slate-colored, slightly whitish on the rump and scapulars, 

 below white, with a few obscure wavy black lines or none ; black 

 bar on side of head, meeting its fellow across the forehead, not 

 interrupted by white on under eyelid, and scarcely or not bordered 

 above by hoary white ; otherwise like borealis in color, but 

 smaller. Length usually under 9.00, sometimes only 8.00 ; extent, 

 12.00-13.00 ; wing and tail, each, about 4.00 ; bill, 0.66 ; tarsus, 

 i. oo or more. The young differ from the adults much as those 

 of L. borealis do. 

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