. Birds of California; an introduction to more than three hundred common birds of the state and adjacent islands . ling their prey on thorns or on the barbs of a wire fence ;but this is largely from necessity when the catch is eithermice or small birds, as the habits of the Shrikes in cap-tivity have proved that they must have some such wayof fastening raw meat before they can tear it. DUSKY, GRAY, AND SLATE-COLORED 337 He does destroy numbers of small birds each year, andfor this we condemn him ; but, on the other hand, thegood he does may outweigh theevil. Jerusalem crickets, grass-hoppers,
. Birds of California; an introduction to more than three hundred common birds of the state and adjacent islands . ling their prey on thorns or on the barbs of a wire fence ;but this is largely from necessity when the catch is eithermice or small birds, as the habits of the Shrikes in cap-tivity have proved that they must have some such wayof fastening raw meat before they can tear it. DUSKY, GRAY, AND SLATE-COLORED 337 He does destroy numbers of small birds each year, andfor this we condemn him ; but, on the other hand, thegood he does may outweigh theevil. Jerusalem crickets, grass-hoppers, field mice, and lizardsform the largest part of his diet,and it would be difficult to com-pute his value to the farmer. Except for the difterence inenvironment, the nesting habitsof the White-rumped closely re-semble those of the CaliforniaShrike. In fact, but for location,an expert can scarcely distinguish 622 a. White-the nest and eggs of the one ^^^^^^° ^*^^^^^- from those of the other, and the ^^^P-^n^ their prey on moms.^^ sets of different pairs of birds often differ as much asthose of the two 622 b. CALIFORNIA SHmKE. — Lajiiiis/udoviciauusgmuhcU. Family : The Shrikes. Length: Adults: Upper parts slate-gray, tiugeil with brownish ; upper tail-cov-erts sometimes abruptly light , or even white, same as thewhite-rumped shrike ; under parts dull white or grayish, ilarker onsides ; breast usually distinctly undulated or narrowly barred withgrayish, and sometimes tinged witii j)ale brown. yaung: Similar to adults, but colors less distinctly contrasted. Geogrdphiral Pistribution: California, es[tecially the coast district. California Breeding Range: Coast region from Red BlulT to San Diego. 32 338 LAND BIRDS Breeding Season: April aud May. Nest: Usually in a scrubby tree ; from 5 to 30 feet from the ground ; bulky; made of coarse twigs, straws, grass, feathers, cotton, and ; 4 to 7 ; gray, marked and spotted with purple, light brown, an
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookidbirdsofcalif, bookyear1912
