DICKCISSEL. 
604. Spiga americana. 6% inches. 
Male beautifully blended with yellow, white and 
gray, and with a black throat patch and brown shoul- 
ders; female duller. 
In the middle portions of the U. S. these birds, or 
Black-throated Buntings, as they are commonly called, 
are very numerous, frequenting dry, bushy fields or 
prairies. They are very persistent songsters, although 
their song is weak and has little meiody. In July and 
August, when many birds are silent, they continue 
their plaintive chant even on the most sultry days. 
Song.—A simple chanting ‘chip, chip, che-che-che.” 
Nest.—Either on the ground, in bushes or thistles, 
or in trees; of weeds, grasses, rootlets, corn husks, ete.; 
eggs four or five in number, plain bluish white and 
hardly distinguishable from those of the Bluebird; size 
sell) 5x _f6{0). 
Range.—N. A. east of the Rockies, breeding from 
the Gulf States north to northern U. 8.; rare in the 
Atlantic States north to Connecticut. 
