North American Birds Eggs. 



241 



50 lb. Western Meadowlark. Sturnella magna neglecta. 



IJiuii:*'. — North Anu'rica west of the Mississippi and from Manitoba and Brit- 

 ish Coluinhia southwaril, its ranye overhipping that of the eastern Meadowlark 

 in the Mississippi VaUey, but the two varieties appear not to intermingle. This 

 variety is paler than the eastern, but the greatest point of difference is in the 

 songs", they being wholly unlike, and that of the western bird much louder, 

 sweeter and more varied than the simple whistle of the eastern form. The 

 nesting habits of both varieties are the same and the eggs indistinguishable. 



501c. Florida Meadowlark. SturKeUa magna argutula. 



Range. — Florida and the Gulf coast. 



A very similar bird to the northern form but slightly smaller and darker. 

 There are no differences between the eggs of the two varieties. 



[502.] Troupial. Irtcrini icterus. 



Range. — Northern South America; claimed by Audubon to have been taken 

 in Soulh Carolina. This large Oriole is frequently kept in captivity. 



503. Audubon Oriole. Icterus aufJufxtiiii. 



Range.— Mexico and the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas. 



This large C)riole has a wholly black head, neck, fore 

 breast, tail and wings; yellowish underparts and greenish 

 yellow back; it is 9.5 inches in length. They are quite 

 abundant and resident in southern Texas where they build 

 at low elevations in trees, preferably mesquites, making 

 the nests of woven grasses and hanging them from the 

 small outer twigs of the trees; the nests are more like those 

 of the Orchard Oriole and not long and pensile like those 

 of the Baltimore. The three to five eggs are grayish white, 

 blotched, clouded, spotted or streaked with brownish and purple. Size 1.00 x .70. 

 Data. — Brownsville, Texas, April 6, 1897. 5 eggs. Nest of threads from pal- 

 metto leaves, hanging from limb of mesquite, 10 feet above ground in the open 

 woods. Collector^ Frank B. Armstrong. 



i White 



504. Scott Oriole. Icterus parisoruin. 

 Range. — Western Mexico north to the adjoining states; north to Nevada. 



. ~ This handsome black and yellow species does not appear 



/^ •' to be abundant in any part of its range. Their nests are 



, y ; swung from the under side of leaves of the yucca palm or 



\ C^ ^0 from small branches of low trees, and are made of grass 



Si', _^^g^ ^^^ fibres. The eggs are bluish white, specked and blotch- 



''■^—^it^^ ed chiefly about the large end with blackish brown and 



[Bluish white.] lilac gray. Size .95 x .65. Data.— Chiricahua Mts., Arizona, 



June 5, 1900. Nest placed on the under side of a yucca palm leaf, being hung 



from the spines, about 4 feet from the ground. "Altitude 7000 feet. Collector 



O. W. Howard. 



17 



