jg THR ORP^GON NATURAUST. 



then unknown to me. Bounding wildly uiuni, not prevailing over gray on the 

 over the landscape, foi the time more crown; yellow of chin usually en- 

 particularly attracted my attention croaching on sides of lower jaw; 

 and at first I thought it might be^ the black on wings and tail usually re- 

 Western Bobolink. solved into indistinct bars, alternating 



Proceeding to investigate I soon dis- with gray bars." 

 covered the performer perched on a lit- A set of four eggs of this species in 

 tie luound of rubbish from which, at my cabinet compared with those of 

 my approach, it flew away and lit on the Eastern Meadowlark are not so 

 an old building, at the same time large, lack the rosy blush of the 

 giving vent to various notes, and I ground color, and are not .so hand- 

 then identified it as the Western somely spotted. 



Meadowlark. All its notes— both of Prof. Davie gives the eggs of this 

 call and song— were di.stinctively pe- species as, "White, sparingly spotted 

 culiar, having very little resemblance and dotted with markings of reddi.sh 

 in sound to those of its Eastern con- and purplish brown, the dottings are 

 gener, though there was much affinity finer than in the eggs of the F;astein 

 in the manner in which those notes Meadowlark. Four to five are usual- 

 were utteied. Its modes of action and ly laid. Size 1.08 x .75. 

 manner of flight were much alike, Wm L. Kells. 

 but fiom my standpoint its plumage 

 vSeemed darker and less attractive than 

 that of the handsome meadow lover in 



ANCIENT EXCAVATIONS IN 

 SOUTHWhST MISSOURI. 



Ontario. The existence of ancient remains of 



In that vicinity it seemed a common any sort has been and always will be 



biid, but was little observed between a fruitful source for the lover of tradi- 



that station and the Rocky Moun- tion and mystery to indulge his fancy 



tains and v\'as not again noted until I and to weave fanciful stories of wealth, 



identified it on the Langly Prairie romance and power from his fertile, 



within sight of the snow capped Cas- imaginative brain, all of which has 



cades, in the land of the evening sun- occured in the past when «in extinct 



shine, race lived and loved and were famil- 



In size the riCfif/fcH is about the same iarly associated vv'ith the remains 



as the magva while its general habits, which the tradition lover has under 



nesting and the number and coloring consideration. 



of its eggs are nearly similar — except Such is the case with a series of 



what variations its manners undergo ancient excavations found located in 



or are rendered necessary by the dif- Southeastern Barton Count}', Mis- 



ference of climate and the peculiarities .souri, and Ij'ing .some three and one- 



of its haunts and home. On its spe- half miles Northeast of Golden Citj', 



cific difference Dr. Cones says: "The Missouri. 



colors are duller and paler; the pre- This series of excavations has been 



vailing aspect, graj': black at a mini- the maximum subject for di.scussion 



