310 BIEDS — LANIID^. 



Northern Shrike. Probably fewer quadrupeds and birds compose its fare, 

 with a greater proportion of insects and small reptiles. They are not 

 legs savage and bloodthirsty than the Northern Shrike. The young are 

 frequently caught and sold to the uninitiated for young Mocking-birds, 

 but if two of them be placed' in the same cage, the doctrine of the " sur- 

 vival of the fittest" is speedily demonstrated. la this vicinity it is 

 generally distributed in open country, never in woodland or in the 

 city. It prefers rich bottoms, but is often found in upland fields. 

 Thickets along railroads are a favorite resort, afibrding a constant supply 

 of food, suitable breeding sites, and a favorite perch upon a telegraph 

 wire. In other situations a fence-stake is a favorite perch, often beside 

 a public road, for the curiosity of this species is not so easily satisfied as 

 that of the Northern Shrike. They fly from their perch to the ground 

 to secure insects, their actions in this respect resembling those of the 

 Red-headed Woodpecker. They are generally in pairs on their arrival, 

 and almost immediately proceed to the business of nesting. The nest 

 is built in a tree or bush, often with no attempt at concealment, but fre- 

 quently in the almost inaccessable branches of a honey locust, or in 

 an osage-orange hedge. Usually they are within fifteen feet from the 

 ground, sometimes not more than three. Until the young are hatched, 

 their behaviour when the nest is approached or examined, does not difier 

 from mild-mannered birds, but when the young are in danger they are 

 exceedingly combative in resenting it, flying closely over head with 

 open mouths and hoarse shrieks. Their cries attract birds of the same 

 species from a great distance, but these remain idle though excited spec- 

 tators. The nest is large and deep, and with us resembles the nest of 

 the Northern Shrike, above described. _ When built near a railroad they 

 frequently employ the cotton used in cleaning engines in its construc- 

 tion. Few birds form so compact a nest of similar materials. The birds 

 occupy the nest for several days before laying commences. The eggs are 

 often laid in April. They are of a light grayish color, spotted with lav- 

 ender, yellowish- and pinkish-brown, and can not ba distinguished from 

 the eggs of var. excubitorides. More southern nests are described as 

 smaller and much shallower. The average measurement of the egg is 

 1.05 by .75. 



Lanius ludovicianus Linnaeus. 



var. EXCUBITORIDES (Sw.) Cs. 

 "Wtlte-mmped Shrike. 

 Collyrio excuhitoroides, Wheaton, Ohio Agrio. Rep. for 1860, 1861, addenda, 480; Re- 

 print, 7. 



