2C6 Palmer, Our Small Eastern Shrikes. ft l*^ 



ward into the Carolinas along the foothills of the mountains, 

 the early highways of the pioneers. The many records of the 

 abundance now and former rarity of Shrikes may be thus 

 explained, but the facts are far too few and too recent to be of 

 much value in determining such a question. Dr. Ralph informs 

 me that Shrikes have penetrated into the Adirondack region by 

 means of the roads leading to settlements located in the dense 

 woods at an elevation of 2,600 feet. 



The two birds are perfectly distinct and readily separable, but 

 may meet in the lower Mississippi Valley, and in places where 

 civilization has changed the former natural conditions, dense 

 forests giving way to open country, old fields, bushes, etc. 



The Molt of the Adult. 



Adults begin to change in July or August, or later, according 

 to summer habitat. Some begin to change before migrating, 

 while in others it is delayed until they reach their winter habitat. 

 An adult male that I took on Smith's Island, Virginia, in fall 

 migration en August 30, 1895, evidently began to molt before it 

 started, but the effects of the journey prevented its completion, 

 though it permitted the new feathers to attain full growth. The 

 four middle feathers of the tail are nearly full grown, while the 

 outer four on each side are the old ones. In the wings the ter- 

 tials are full grown and new, as are also the inner primaries, but the 

 outer primaries and most of the secondaries are old. Very few grow- 

 ing feathers are to be seen. Another taken in Alexandria County, 

 Virginia, October 3^ 1889, is in full molt on the wings; the tertials 

 and inner primaries and some of the secondaries are full grown and 

 the others are of various lengths, the two outer old primaries 

 being still in place. The tail-feathers are in various stages, the 

 outer being the shortest, about an inch, while the central are full 

 grown. The body plumage is nearly complete. Another taken 

 in Maryland, November i , is further advanced. Specimens taken 

 in January, February, and Aprjl show some growing feathers on 

 the throat, and this seems to be the extent of the spring change 

 in the males. I have seen no molting; females. 



