Western Meadow-Lark 311 



The nest is placed on the ground and is usually well 

 concealed by a tuft of grass ; it is sometimes approached 

 by a covered way through tangled weeds and grasses. 

 It is constructed of dried weeds and grasses woven 

 together, and lined with finer material of the same kind. 

 The eggs, usually five in number, are laid in Colorado 

 during the latter half of May : Dille (03) gives May 15th 

 for the Denver neighbourhood. Aiken records nests 

 in El Paso co. on May 15th and June 4th; in the latter 

 instance the nest contained four Meadow-Lark eggs and 

 two Cowbird eggs. At Bedrock, 5,100 feet, in south-west 

 Colorado, Warren found a nest as early as April 23rd. 

 Both sexes assist in incubation. The eggs are white, 

 sometimes with a faint pink or greenish suffusion, spotted 

 and blotched with various shades of brown ; they 

 measure 1-12 X '81. 



Genus ICTERUS. 



Small birds — wing under 4-5 in Colorado species — with a slender, 

 somewhat acute bill, rather less than the length of the head ; culmen 

 straight or shghtly decurved ; nostrils large with a conspicuous oper- 

 culum ; wing moderate, the ninth (outer primary) always shorter 

 than the eighth ; generally between the fifth and sixth ; tail at least 

 f the length of wing, more or less rounded ; feet weak ; tarsus equal 

 to or exceeding the middle toe and claw ; sexes usually distinct, 

 plmnage black and orange, or black and chestnut. 



This is a large genus, containing the birds generally known in America 

 as Orioles (not to be confused with the true Orioles of the Old World). 

 More than fifty species and subspecies are recognized, rangmg over the 

 whole of temperate and tropical America. Only one species is at all 

 abundant in Colorado^ but two of the commoner eastern forms have 

 occasionally been met with. 



Key of the Species. 



A. Chestnut below ; bill distinctly decurved. I. spurius, <? p. 312. 



B. Orange or yellow below ; culmen nearly straight. 



a. Head and neck black all roimd. I. galbula, <? p. 312. 



b. Crown and throat black, sides of the head orange. 



I. bullocki, $ p. 313 



