124 



LANIIDiE, SHRIKES. GEN. 53. 



obscure-looking species near hellii, which it replaces in Southwestern U. S ; 

 possibly a grayer, longer-tailed, geographical race, but more specimens will 

 be required to prove this. Its habits are the same as those of Bell's vireo. 

 CouES, Proc. Acad. Phila., 1866, 76 ; Bd., Rev. 360 ; Coop. 124. ( V. hellii 



Coop., Proc. Gala. Acad. 1861, 122.) pusillus. 



Black-headed Vireo. Olive-green, the crown and sides of head black; 

 below white, olive-shaded ou sides ; 4f ; wing 2^ ; tail 2. Southwestern 

 Texas, extremely rare ; only three specimens known. Woodhouse, Proc. 



^f Phila. Acad. 1852, 60; Eep. Expl. Zuui 



-^r _=a^'' River, 75, pi. 1; Cass., 111., 153, pi. 24; 



^^ga-Vv^ /..---=--^K^>,v I>i>., o.!7, and Rev. 353. . atricapillus. 



Family LANIID^. Shrikes. 



Essentially characterized by the combination 

 of comparatively weak, strictl}^ passerine feet 

 with a notched, toothed and hooked bill, the 

 size, shape and strength of which recalls that of 

 a bird of prey. The family comprises about two hundred recorded species, refer- 

 able to numerous genera, and divisible into three groups, of which the following is 

 the only one occurring in America. 



Subfamily LANIIN^E. True Shrikes. 



The genus C'oUurio is the only representative of this group in North America. 

 In this genus the wing has ten primaries and the tail twelve rectriecs ; botli 

 are much rounded and of nearly equal lengths. The rictus is furnished with 

 strong bristles. The circular nostrils are more or less perfectly covered and con- 

 cealed by dense tufts of antrorse bristly feathers. The tarsi are scutellate in front 

 and on the outside — in the latter respect deviating from a usual Oscine character. 

 Our shrikes will thus be easily distinguished ; additional features are, the point of 

 the wing formed by the 8d, 4th and 5th quills, the 2d not longer than the Gth, 

 the 1st about half the 3d ; the tarsus equalling or slightly exceeding the middle toe 

 and claw ; the lateral toes of about equal lengths, their claws reaching the base of 

 the middle claw. In coloration our species are much alike, and curiously similar to 

 the mockingbird, being bluish-, grayish- or brownish-ash above, white more or less 

 evidentlj' vermiculated with black below ; wings and tail black variegated with 

 white, rump and scapulars more or less whitish, and a black bar through the eye. 



These shrikes are bold and spirited birds, quarrelsome among themselves, and 

 tyrannical toward weaker species ; in fact, their nature seems as highly rapacious 

 as that of the true birds of prej'. They are carnivorous, feeding ou insects and 

 such small birds and quadrupeds as thej^ can capture and overpower ; many in- 

 stances have been noted of their dashing attacks upon cage-birds, and their reckless 

 pursuit of other species under circumstances that cost them their own lives. But the 

 most remarkable fact in the natural history of the shrikes is their singular and 

 inexplicable habit of impaling their prey on thorns or sharp twigs, and leaving it 

 sticking there. This has occasioned many ingenious surmises, none of which, 

 however, are entirely satisfactory. They build a rather rude and bulky nest of 

 twigs, and lay 4-6 speckled eggs. Thej^ are not strictly migratorj^, although our 

 northernmost species usually retires southward in the fall. The sexes are alike, 



