406 Birds of Colorado 



Tlie Dickcissel is a rare bird in Colorado, and has only been found 

 on the eastern plains and foothills of the mountains. Though noted 

 by Allen as " common near Colorado City " in 1871, it has only been 

 met a few times since. There is one example in the Aiken collection 

 taken near Colorado Springs August 29th, 1897 ; Capt. Thorne saw 

 six near Fort Lyon Jime 22nd, 1884 ; P. L. Jones found it nesting in 

 1890 near Canon City, and a few pairs spend the siunmer near Fort 

 Collins (Cooke) ; recently Smith found it to be not uncommon near 

 Wray in June, and has little doubt that they nest in the neighbourhood 

 of the town, and also on Boye's Ranche, some twelve miles to the south. 



Habits. — The Dickcissel is a well-known bird in the 

 middle west, making its summer-home on the open 

 fields and prairies. The males are very conspicuous 

 in the breeding season, perching on tall weeds or fence 

 posts, and continually giving vent to their somewhat 

 inharmonious attempt.? at song. They are strong on the 

 wing, but seldom fly high, except on migration. Their 

 food is chiefly seeds with som^ berries, and insects 

 especially when rearing their young. 



The nest is placed upon the ground or in a low bush ; 

 the eggs, four or five in number, are uniform light blue, 

 and measure 82 x *63, 



Genus CALAMOSPIZA. 



Terrestrial Finches of mediiun size — wing luider 3-75 — with a stout, 

 somewhat swollen bill ; the upper and lower mandibles about equal 

 in depth ; the culmen more than half the length of the tarsus ; nostrils 

 exposed ; wing long, the four outer primaries about equal and abruptly 

 longer than the fifth ; inner secondaries elongated so that the difference 

 between primaries and secondaries is less than the tarsus ; tail about 

 •78 of the wing ; tarsus stout about one-third of tail. Sexes distinct in 

 summer, alike in winter ; males black with white wing-patch, females 

 and winter males streaked. 



Only one species is included in this genus. 



Lark-Bunting. Calamospiza melanocorys. 



A.O.U. Checklist no 605 — Colorado Records — Baird 58, p. 493 

 (C. bicolor) ; Allen 72, pp. 149, 157 ; Henshaw 75, p. 294 ; Allen & 

 Brewster 83, p. 191 ; Drew 85, p. 16 ; Dille 86, p. 29 ; 03, p. 74 ; Lowe 



