NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 343 



stances — twigs, steins, mosses, and soft, downy or cottony fibres — 

 seem to harmonize well with the odd coloration of the eggs. These 

 are two or three in number. The majority of the nests found by Mr. 

 Scott in Pima county, Arizona, contained three eggs, while a large 

 series of nests, with eggs, collected at San Gorgonia Pass, California, 

 by Mr. Herron, during the months of May and June, 1883, were of two 

 eggs each. They are of a yellowish or light or dull gray, thickly 

 speckled (some grotesquely marked) with a neutral tint, dark brown, 

 and blackish. Ten eggs measure, .84 x .64, .87 x .63, .88 x .69, .89 x 

 .69, .90 X .70, .90 X .69, .91 X .70, .91 X .67, .90 X .63, .91 X .69. 



621. Lanius borealls (Vieill.) [148.] 



Northern Shrike* 



Hab. Northern North America; south in winter to the Potomac, Ohio Valleys, Kansas, Colorado^ 

 Nevada, California, and Arizona. 



The Shrikes are birds of a cruel, reckless, quarrelsome nature — 

 rapacious and carniverous, feeding on grasshoppers and other insects, 

 together with lizards, small birds, and quadrupeds which they are able 

 to overpower. They often boldly attack cage-birds, even in the pres- 

 ence of their owners. Their most noted trait is that of impaling small 

 birds, mice, and other prey on thorns and sharp twigs. In the breeding 

 season the Great Northern Shrike, or Butcher-bird, is found throughout 

 the whole of North America, north of United States. It is said to 

 breed in Maine and it probably does in other New England States. 

 It inhabits woodland and thicket, and is often found in upland fields. 

 When insect food becomes scarce this species frequently visits cities in 

 pursuit of the European House Sparrow. 



The nest is a rather rude, bulky afi"air, made of twigs, grass, and 

 stems, matted together and lined with down and feathers. It is usually 

 built in thorny trees, bushes, or hedges, and often no attempt is made 

 at concealment. The eggs are four to six in number, dull whitish or 

 greenish-gray, marked and spotted with obscure purple, light brown, 

 or olive; average size, 1.08 x .79. 



622. Lanius ludovicianus Linn. [149] 



liOggerliead Shrike. 



Hab. More southern portions of Eastern United States; north regularly to Southern Illinois, Cen- 

 tral Ohio, and Virginia; irregularly to Vermont, etc. 



This form of Shrike inhabits the more southeastern portions of 

 Eastern United States. Dr. Coues says, in its typical manifestation it 

 is characteristic of the South Atlantic States; but specimens more 

 like ludovicianus than excubitorides occur north to New Eng- 

 land and west to Ohio.* It is a common resident in Central and 



<• Key to N, A. Birds, p. 338. 



