Hab. California?
The description already given is taken from a specimen in the collection of the Philadelphia Academy, labelled as having been collected in California by Dr. Gambel, and is very decidedly different from any of the recognized North American species. Of nearly the size of C. excubitoroides and ludovicianus, it has a bill even more powerful than that of C. borealis. In its unwaved under parts and uniform color of the entire upper surface, except scapulars, it differs from borealis and excubitoroides, and resembles ludovicianus. In the extension of white over the inner webs of the secondaries, it closely resembles C. excubitor. The great restriction of white at the base of the tail—the four central feathers being entirely black, and the bases of the others grayish-ashy—is quite peculiar to the species.
The specimen in the Philadelphia Academy we originally referred to the L. elegans of Swainson, alleged to have come from the fur countries, as although some appreciable differences presented themselves, especially in the
coloration of the tail, these were considered as resulting from an imperfect description. Messrs. Sharpe and Dresser, however, as quoted above, show that Swainson’s type really belongs to L. lahtora, an Old World species. We therefore find it expedient to give a new name to the variety, having no reason to discredit the alleged locality of the specimen.
Collurio ludovicianus, var. excubitoroides, Baird.
WESTERN LOGGERHEAD; WHITE-RUMPED SHRIKE.
Lanius excubitoroides, Swainson, F. B. A. II, 1831, 115 (Saskatchewan).—Gambel, Pr. A. N. Sc. 1847, 200 (Cala.).—Cassin, Pr. A. N. Sc. 1857, 213.—Sclater, P. Z. S. 1864, 173 (City of Mexico). Collyrio excubitoroides, Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 327. Collurio excub. Baird, Rev. Am. B. 1864, 445.—Cooper, Orn. Cal. 1, 1870, 138. ? Lanius mexicanus, Brehm, Cab. Jour. II, 1854, 145.—Sclater, Catal. 1861, 46 (Mexico). Lanius ludovicianus, Max. Cab. Jour. 1858, 191 (Upper Missouri).—Dresser & Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1870, 595.
Hab. Western Province of North America, as far north as Oregon; Middle North America, to the Saskatchewan, and east to Wisconsin, Michigan, and Illinois; south to Orizaba and Oaxaca, and City of Mexico; Cape St. Lucas.
The precise boundaries between this species and C. ludovicianus are difficult of definition, as the transition is almost insensible.
The young bird is pale fulvous-ash above, everywhere with transverse crescentic bars of dusky. Two bands of mottled pale fulvous across wings, on tips of middle and greater coverts. Tail tipped with ochraceous, the white feathers tinged with the same. Breast and sides with obsolete bars of dusky. Black band on side of head rather obsolete.