418 NORTH A.MKIUCAN lUKDS. 



and three and a half in lieight. Tlic cavity is iiroiiortionately large and 

 deep, haviuy a diameter of fdiir and a half inches, and a dejjth of two. 

 Except tlie base, which is composed of a few twigs and stalks of coarser 

 plants, the nest is made entirely of warm and soft materials, most elalforately 

 interworked together. These materials are featiiers from varicjus birds, tine 

 down of the Eider and other ducks, line mosses and lichens, slender stems, 

 crasses, etc., and are skilfully and artistically wrought into a beautiful and 

 symmetrical nest, strengthened by the interposition of a few slender twigs 

 and stems without aflecting the general felt-like character of the whole. The 

 egg measures 1.10 inches by .8(1, ami is of a light greenish ground, marbled 

 and streaked with blotches of obscure-purple, clay-cohir, ami rufous-brown. 



Sir John Jlichardson found this a by no means uncommon bird in the 

 woody districts, at least as far as the sixteenth parallel. On account 

 of its resemblance to the Canada .lay, the Indians called it the "While 

 Whiskey-John." It remains all winter in the fur regitms, but is nnieh more 

 numerous in summer, lie states that the nest is built in the fork of a tree, 

 of dry grass and lichens neatly intertwined, and lined with feathers. 



Collurio ludovicianus, r..viRn. 



SOTTTHEHN SHBIKE ; LOOOEBHEAD. 



Lanhis ludovkianua, Linn. Syst. Nat. 17i)li, 134 (basud mi Laniii.'i hidovicianns, RltissoN, 

 II, 102, tab. .\v, lif,'. 2.) — Aui). Orn. IMog. I, 1S31, ItOO, pi. x.\xvii. — In. Binls Am. 

 IV, jil. ocx.xxvii. — ('.\.s,si\, Pr. A. N. Sc. 1S,'.7, 213. CoUiji-io Imhvkiiinus, Baiud, 

 Binls N. Am. 1».")8, 325. Collurio Iialoc. IJ.VU'.l), Iti'V. Am. 1$. 1864, 443. L'oiius 

 ardnshcfus, ViKii.i.nr, Ois. Am. Sept. I, IS07, 81, pi. li. Laniiis carolinensis, Wiw. 

 Am. Orn. Ill, 1811, 57, pi. xxii, \\g. 5. 



Hab. South Atlantii' (and Oiill'V) Slat.'s. 



The young bird is (piite dilferent from the iidult, differing as does that of 

 cxcithitoroklts, but the colors are all darker than in the corresponding age of 

 that species. 



Haiuts. This s])ecies, if we regard it as distinct from the excuhiforoidi\% 

 has apparently a very restricted distribution, ))eing confined to the South 

 Atlantic and (Julf Stiites. 1 am not aware that it has lieen found farther 

 norHi than Xortli Carolina. It is not common, according to Audubon, 

 either in Louisiana or Mississippi, and jirobalily only occurs there in the 

 winter. I have had its eggs from South Carolina, (ieorgia, and Florida. 

 Dre.sser speaks of this Shrike as common in Te.xas in summer, and Dr. 

 Woodhouse states that he found it very abundant in Texas and the Indian 

 Territory. These observations may probably apply to the kindred race, (■■>•- 

 cubiforoirh's, and not to this form. 



It is said to be exclusively a liird of the lowlands, and never to be met 

 with iu the mountainous parts, even of its restricted habitat. 



