326 



U. S. p. R. E EXP. AKD SURVEYS — ^ZOOLOGY — GENERAL REPORT. 



the latter with the lateral feathers broadly tipped with white ; bat this color restricted at the base, 

 from the bill through and behind the eye. Length, 9.00 ; wing, 3.90 ; tail, 4.20. 

 Hub. — South Atlantic and Gulf States. 



A continuous black stripe 



No. 3054 is above rather dark slate blue, almost or quite inappreciably lighter on the rump, 

 the outer scapulars shading behind into whitish on their outer webs. Beneath clear white, 

 purest on the throat ; the sides of the body almost to the median line tinged with bluish ash, 

 much lighter than the back ; the feathers of the breast with the most obsoletely possible indi- 

 cations of narrow transverse bars. The wings and tail are black ; the primaries all white at 

 the base, forming a conspicuous patch ; the secondaries and tertials tipped jvith the sflme. 

 The outer four tail feathers tipped with white, (the first for an inch ;) this color extending 

 along the outer web, most so in the outer, where it occupies it almost entirely. The forehead is 

 inappreciably lighter than the crown, which, however, is bordered laterally from the bill to 

 above the eye with whitish. The side of the head, including the border of the upper jaw, the 

 lores, region round the eye, and the ear coverts behind it, black. Axillaries dark plumbeous. 



There is some difference in specimens as to the color of the scapulars. Occasionally these 

 are whiter than as described, forming a conspicuous band along the black of the wing, almost 

 from the bend. The upper tail coverts are sometimes of a slightly paler ash than the back, 

 but never whitish ; the difference always very slight. There is frequently no trace whatever 

 of bars on the breast. The axillaries, too, are sometimes for the most part white, sometimes 

 dark ash. 



The female is of duller plumage than the male. The young is lighter gray above than the 

 adult ; more or less tinged with brown ; all the feathers waved obscurely and finely with dusky. 

 The under parts are white, waved obscurely with dusky on the breast and sides. 



The unhanded white color beneath, and the continuous black stripe through the eye, as well 

 as the smaller size, distinguish this species from the Northern Shrike, (C. borealis.) 



List of specimens. 



