344 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. 



weed, rod cedar and mountain ash afford them a bountiful «upplj' of 

 food. Their voice is heard only in a weak call note, easily recognized 

 but difficult to describe. 



In many individuals the secondaries finish with a hard horny 

 appendage, having the appearance of red sealing-wax. This is not 

 indicative of age or sex, but is most frequently found in the adult 

 male. In some instances the tail feathers are similarly tipped. The 

 use of these appendages is unknown to us. 



Family LANIID^. Shrikes. 



Genus LANIUS Linn.eus. 



LANIUS BOREALIS (Vieill.). 



25:5. Northern Shrike. (621) 



Clear bluisli-asli, blanching on the rump ami scapulars ; below, white, 

 always vermioulateil with line wavy blackish lines ; a black bar along sitle of 

 the head, not meeting its fellow across forehead, interrupted by a white cres- 

 cent on under eyelid, and l)ordered above by hoary white tliat also occupies 

 the extreme forehead ; wings and tail, black, the former with a large spot near 

 base of primaries ; and the tips of most of the quills, white, the latter witli 

 nearly all the feathers Ijroadly tipped with white, and with concealed white 

 bars; bill and feet, black. Length, 9-10; wing, 4^ ; tail, rather more. The 

 yoniiif are similar, l.>ut none of the colors are so tine or so intense ; tlie entire 

 plumage has a brownish suffusion, and the bill is flesh-colored at base. 



H.VB. — Northern North America, south, in winter, to the middle portions of 



