506 ANIMAL LIFE IN THE YOSEMITE 



The wing patch of pure white on the otherwise glossy black plumage 

 of the male and the peculiar flight of the bird set it apart sharply in 

 general appearance from any other species in the region. The female is 

 a replica of the male save for her duller coloration. 



The whole demeanor of the Phainopepla is suggestive of indecision. 

 The flight is vacillating, and the wing-beats are slow. The bird seems to 

 travel with no idea of directness or of desire to reach a certain destination. 

 Even when perched while being stalked, a Phainopepla although visibly 

 alarmed will show uncertainty as to whether or not it shall leave ; it makes 

 several false starts — then suddenly it flutters off, with a befuddled air, in 

 zigzag course, to another perch not far away. A bird seen foraging in 

 a mistletoe clump, or a male seen singing from the upper foliage of an 

 oak, presents a very trim and slender outline ; the crest of narrow feathers 

 on the top of the head is usually held erect when the bird is perched. 



The song of the male is a rather weak utterance, wheezy or throaty in 

 character, and given intermittently. The intervals between successive 

 warbles are punctuated now and then with the clearer, whistle-like call 

 note. 



Some of the birds seen at Pleasant Valley during the last week of May, 

 1915, exliibited the solicitude to be expected at nesting time, but we did 

 not succeed in finding any nests. Eight Phainopeplas were seen in a 

 5-hour census on May 24, and fourteen in 31/2 hours on May 30, in the 

 territory south and west of the settlement. Males were much more in 

 evidence than females. On November 30, 1915, three Phainopeplas were 

 observed, also at Pleasant Valley, during a period of five hours. 



Shrikes. Lanius ludovicianus Linnaeus^^ 



Field characters. — Between Junco and Eobin in size; tail as long as body. Plumage 

 bluish gray above, whitish beneath; wings, tail, and stripe through eye, black; large 

 patch of white shows on each wing in flight, and tail is broadly ended and margined 

 with white. (See pi. 53?>.) Flight usually low over ground; perches solitarily in exposed 

 situations while watching ground for prey. Voice : A harsh call, slree, skree, skree, 

 which may be repeated at short intervals; a song of some compass is given at times 

 during late winter and early spring. 



33 Two subspecies of shrike are found in the Yosomite region. 



California Shrike, Lanius hidovicianus gamhcli Eidgway, is a slightly smaller and 

 somewhat darker toned race with only a slight amount of white at upper base of tail. 

 This race is resident in the San Joaquin Valley and penetrates into the foothills even 

 as far as Smith Creek, east of Coulterville. 



Whiterumped Shrike, Lanius ludovicianus cxcuhiiorides Swainson, is a slightly 

 larger bird, of paler tone above and with the rump usually more clearly white. This 

 subspecies was found about Mono Lake in summer, and has occurred in winter (January 

 20, 1916) at Smith Creek, on the west slope of the Sierras. 



A shrike, of unknown subspecies, was noted in Yosemite Valley on September 4 and 6, 

 1920 (C. W. Michael, MS). 



The two forms of the 'Loggerhead' Shrike cannot be distinguished except by meas- 

 urement and close examination of specimens in hand. 



