120 



SHRIKES— FALCONS— RUFFED GROUSE. 



along the sides of the valleys and across the whole coast range, 

 excepting the windy and cold neighborhood of the sea. They 

 range at least as far north as the Straits of Fuca, and across the 

 interior to the eastern base of the Rocky Mountains." 



"A well-known and often-recorded point in the economy of the 

 Swallows is the readiness with which they modify their ways of 

 nesting according to circumstances. Those species, like the Barn 

 Swallows, the White-bellied and Cliff Swallows, and the Purple 

 Martin, which inhabit populous countries, have almost completely 

 changed their modes of nidification, now breeding in the conveni- 

 ent places afforded by buildings, or in shelters expressly provided 

 for their use. In the case of the Cliff Swallows, the change is of 

 Very recent date, and many records are preserved of the precise 

 time when, in particular localities, the birds deserted cliffs to build 

 under eaves, or when, adopting this habit, they appeared and bred 

 in places where they were before unknown. With the Purple 

 Martins the nidification occurred earlier, and I am not aware that 

 the time is recorded. But in the west both these birds still adhere 

 to their primitive ways. Along the Missouri I saw great numbers 

 of nests of Cliff Swallows stuck in batches on the high, vertical, 

 water-worn exposures ; and in Arizona the Martins occupied the 

 blasted tops of tall pine-trees, in colonies, having driven off the 

 Woodpeckers, the rightful proprietors of the holes that riddled the 

 trunks. It becomes an interesting speculation, whether the Bank 

 Swallow will ever abandon its burrows, and so far modify its fos- 

 sorial nature as to build in chinks and crannies, or affix a nest any- 

 where about a building. As far as is now known, the Violet-green 

 Swallow retains its primitive habits, but the same easy adaptability 

 to varying circumstances may be observed in this case, warrant- 

 ing the inference that before long it will accept the conditions 

 that civilization imposes, and breed about buildings like its allies." 

 — Coues. 



Loggerhead Shrike (Collurio ludovicianus) [Fig. n], and the White- 

 rumped Shrike (Collurio hidovicianus,vax. excubitoroides) [Fig. 10]. 



This bird, which has much the appearance of a bird of prey, and 

 much similar habits, is yet one of the singing birds, and though it 

 may not exercise its gifts in this respect, much more than does the 

 Blackbird and Crow of the same class, its structure shows it to be 

 more nearly related to the Robin and Vireo than to even the 

 smaller hawks. 



The Loggerhead Shrike is found throughout the Southern 

 States, and on the Pacific coast as far at least as Lower California. 

 Its occurrence in the Mississippi valley is as far north at least as 

 Columbus, Ohio, where it is of common occurrence. In that lo- 

 cality it is one of the first birds to arrive in spring, and frequently 

 has its nest built and eggs laid in April. 



As will be seen from the plate, its general appearance resembles 

 that of the Mocking Bird, and for that bird it is often mistaken. 

 Frequently the young are taken from the nest and sold for young 

 Mocking Birds. Generally they die before their luckless possessor 

 discovers his mistake, and if by chance they live, no sweet sounds 

 will reward the care which has been bestowed upon them. Their 

 common note is a harsh, creaky cry; while their song, which is 

 comparatively seldom heard, is a rapid repetition of monotonous 

 notes, not, however, unmusical. They frequent open country, and 

 are especially attached to the bushy borders of field tall osage 

 orange hedges. Their nest is usually built, with some attempt at 

 concealment, in a low treetop covered with a wild grapevine, or in 

 a dense bush. It is large and bulky, often lined with feathers. 

 The eggs are four or five, grayish, thickly speckled over with 

 brownish-ash. Their food consists, for the most part, of large in- 

 sects, such as grasshoppers and crickets. They are noted for the 

 curious habit of impaling grasshoppers and other prey upon thorns 

 and twigs. No sufficient reason has ever been discovered why 

 they do this. 



The White-rumped Shrike is the northern variety of the Log- 

 gerhead, from which it differs in the genarally darker color of the 

 upper parts, with a conspicuously whiter rump. It is found from 

 Illinois to Wisconsin, north and west. In habits it does not differ 

 from the Loggerhead. These birds may be distinguished from 

 the Northern Shrike by their smaller size, darker colors, and uni- 

 form ashy white color beneath. The Northern Shrike has the 

 under parts faintly barred with dusky ash, and is only found in 

 winter, in localities frequented by the Loggerhead and White- 

 rumped Shrike during the summer. 



PLATE LXXVII. 



Jer-falcon, or Gyr-falcon. (JFalco sacer, var. candicans.") 



Fig. i 



This species, a variety of the Jer-falcon — spelt also Ger and 

 Gyr — inhabits Arctic America, North Greenland, Iceland, and 

 Europe. 



Brehm says : " They appear to prefer such rocky localities as 

 are in the immediate neighborhood of the sea-coast, and upon 

 which hundreds and thousands of sea birds settle during the breed- 

 ing season ; nevertheless, they do not entirely avoid the wooded 

 parts of the country, for such amongst them as are too young to 

 pair make long excursions inland, even occasionally visiting the 

 mountain ranges of the interior, amongst which the old birds are 

 rarely ever seen. The attachment of these various species to their 

 breeding places is very remarkable ; they return to them with such 

 unfailing regularity that we were once accurately directed where 

 to look for an eyrie, even though our informant had neither seen 

 the spot, nor heard it spoken of, for many years. In their other 

 habits they closely resemble the Peregrine Falcon. During the 

 summer months it subsists upon sea birds, in the winter upon 

 Ptarmigans, and, according to some naturalists, will devour hares, 

 and live upon squirrels for whole months together. We were on 

 one occasion for three days in the vicinity of the Nyker (two 

 mountains much frequented by sea birds), and watched a pair of 

 Gyr-falcons come down morning after morning punctually at ten 

 o'clock, in order to obtain their breakfast. This was very speedily 

 accomplished ; both took a rapid survey of the feathered swarm 

 they were about to attack, and then, swooping down with unerring 

 aim, carried off one bird after another, until they had obtained the 

 necessary supply. Howell mentions having seen a Polar Falcon 

 pounce upon two Sea Gulls at the same time, and bear them away 

 in triumph, one in each foot. They are also said to destroy 

 Pigeons." 



This species is about two feet in length. 



Polar, or Iceland Falcon. {Falco sacer, var. islandicus.) 



Fig. 2. 



Closely allied to the last-named species, and recognized as a 

 variety, by the darker markings on the upper parts of the body. 

 Its habits and manners are similar. 



PLATE LXXVIII. 



Ruffed Grouse, Partridge, or Pheasant. (Bonasa umbellus.) 



Fig. i. 



Although this species is generally known by the name of 



Ruffed Grouse, it is also called the Partridge in the New England 



