82 
C0LLUB10 LUDOVICIANUS. 
They are also, as their name implies, solitary, for it is difficult to find more than a single pair in 
any one locality at a given time. Although some remain to breed in Massachusetts, yet the 
majority pass on farther north. The nests, like those of the Red-eyed Vireos, are placed in the 
fork of a swaying limb. While breeding the birds are quite attached to each other and if one 
is killed the other will remain near the spot for a considerable, length of time. This species 
migrates late in September, reaching Florida in early November. 
FAMILY XII. LANIHXE. THE SHRIKES. 
Bill, short, stout; upper manclihle strongly curved and deeply notched. Sternum, almost precisely similar in form to 
that of the Vireonidce. Wings, proportionately short and rounded. Tail, long and also rounded. 
Although the sternum of this family closely resembles that of the preceding, showing their affinity, yet all 
of our species may readily be distinguished from the Vireonidce by the more strongly curved and deeply notched 
bill. The wings are proportionately shorter and the tail longer. 
GENUS I. COLLURIO. THE BUTCHER BIRDS. 
Gen. Ch. Bluish or brownish-ash above; beneath, white, banded with black, in some stages. Wings and tail marked 
with black and white. Other characters as given above. 
The peculiar bills of these birds give them a hawk-like aspect, yet their other anatomical and osteological 
features are those of the passerine birds, while their well executed songs proclaim them to be true Osciues. 
COLLURIO LUDOVICIANUS. 
Loggerhead. Shrike. 
Collurio Ludovicianus Baird, Review of American Birds, 1866, 443. 
Gollurio excubitoroides Baird, Review of American Birds, 1866, 445. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Sp. Ch. Eorm, robust. Size, medium. Sternum, stoutly built. Tongue, thin, horny and acuminate; with 
the end bifid and provided with cilia, which in young specimens extend along the sides. 
Color. Adult. Above, slaty-blue, darkest on the head and lightest on the rump, which in some specimens 
becomes nearly white. Line on the forehead, stripe extending through the eye and down on the neck, wings, and 
tail, black. Outer webs of tertiaries, tips of secondaries, basal third of primaries, terminal band on all, excepting 
the two central tail feathers and under portions of body, including under tail coverts, white. Sides, flanks, axillaries 
and under wing coverts, bluish-ash. 
Young, similar, but browner above and obscurely barred below with dusky, especially on the breast. 
Nestlings differ in having the two central as well as the other tail feathers tipped with white. The white 
on the secondaries is marked with yellowish, while there are indications of yellowish barrings above the terminal 
markings. Both rows of upper wing coverts are finely barred with yellowish-white. The remaining upper and 
entire lower parts, excepting the throat and abdomen, crossed with fine wavy lines of dusky. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
Only known from the closely allied C. borealis by the smaller size and continuous line over the forehead; 
otherwise the markings of these two species in adult and nestling plumage are. very similar. The young of the 
northern species are browner above than the same stage of Ludovicianus and the dusky lines below are much more 
prominent. The whiter rump and upper tail coverts, together with other minor differences exhibited by specimens 
of this species taken west, are too slight characters, upon which to base a species, especially when specimens are 
constantly found that form a perfect chain of gradation between the two varieties. Therefore I have not hesitated 
to place the name excubitoroides as a synonyme of Ludovicianus. Distributed as a resident and partly migratory 
species throughout Southern and Central United States, straggling to Mass. (H. A. Purdie.) 
DIMENSIONS. 
Average measurements of seven specimens. Length, 9-20; stretch, 12-35; wing, 3-85; tail, 3-90; bill, -70; 
tarsus, 1-05. Longest specimen, 9-50; greatest extent of wings, 13-20; longest wing, 3-90; tail, 4-00; bill, -75; 
tarsus, 1-20. Shortest specimen, 8.75; smallest extent of wings, 12-25; shortest wing, 3-75; tail, 3-75; bill, -65 ; 
tarsus, -95. 
