laniad^e. 117 



is about to describe the male of his own borealis*. These are his words : u Get 

 oiseau a plus de rapports avec la Pie-grieche grise (L. excubitor) que la precedente 

 (L. borealis, fern.) ; il n'en differe que par une couleur plus foncee, et par son bee 

 plus robuste." Regarding the couleur plus foncee, the writer evidently had not 

 our bird in view, but Wilson's Carolinensis, many particulars of which he subse- 

 quently blends into this very description ; while the only known American Shrike, 

 which has the bill stouter than the European excubitor, is beyond all doubt the 

 true male of his own borealis. In further proof that M. Vieillot has confounded 

 both these species (borealis, Nob., and Carolinensis, Wilson) under the name of 

 ardosiaceus, it must be remarked that he states no limits to the range of this 

 imaginary species. He says it is sometimes found with his borealis (which, in 

 reference to the male borealis, is very natural), and that it extends to the southern 

 provinces of Carolina, Florida, and Louisiana; thereby confounding Wilson's 

 with the northern bird. Upon these grounds do we consider the ardosiaceus as 

 an imaginary species, and to which, consequently, we cannot assimilate our 

 present bird. 



But may not this be the excubitor of Wilson ; as it agrees with the light colour 

 of the plumage and the two entirely black tail feathers mentioned by that writer ? 

 True : but the size is much smaller ; and the bill, instead of being light blue, is 

 very deep glossy black. We have, moreover, already stated our reasons for con- 

 sidering Wilson's excubitor to be the true male of Vieillot's borealis. Lastly, as 

 this bird so closely resembles the European excubitor in size and colour, what are 

 their respective distinctions ? These we shall now state : — 



LANIUS EXCUBITORIDES, LANIUS EXCUBITOR, 



IN TWO SPECIMENS. IN TWO SPECIMENS. 



Size of the different members somewhat Bill bluish-black (horn colour in the dead 

 smaller. Bill, from the base to the tip of both bird) only on the outer half; the base of both 

 mandibles, very dark bluish-black. mandibles, but particularly of the under one, 



pale flesh-colour (yellowish white in the dead 

 bird). 

 Frontal feathers covering the nostrils, Frontal feathers cinereous, 

 crossed by a narrow band of deep-black. 



Black stripe on the side of the head, en- Upper margin of the eyelid nearly white, 

 circling the upper margin of the eyelid. 



* The figures in this work are too inaccurate to claim authority on questions of nice discrimination. Our copy, 

 moreover, is uncoloured. — Sw. 



