304 lURDS OF ILLINOIS. 



upon the summits of tall weed-stalks or fence-stakes, at short 

 intervals crying out : "See, see, — Dick, Dick-Cissel, Cissel" therefore 

 "Dick Cissel" is well known to every farmer's boy as well as to 

 all who visit the country during the season of clover-blooms and 

 wild roses, when "Dame Nature" is in her most joyous mood. 



Perhaps the prevalent popular name of this species is "Little 

 Field Lark" or "Little Meadow Lark," a name suggested by his 

 yellow breast and black jugular spot, which recall strongly the 

 similar markings of the Sturnella, and also the fact that the two 

 frequent similar localities. The name "Black-throated Bunting" 

 is probably never heard except from those who have learned it 

 from the books. 



The location of the nest varies much with locality, though 

 probably not more than in the case of many other species. At 

 Mount Carmel, all that I found were in clover fields, and built 

 upon or very close to the ground. In Eichland county they were 

 almost invariably built in small clumps of coarse weeds, at a height 

 of about a foot above the ground. In Wisconsin, however, accord- 

 ing to Dr. Brewer (Hist. N. Am. B. Vol. II., p. 68), Dr. P. K. Hoy, 

 of Eacine has never found a nest within one foot of the ground, 

 some of them being as elevated as six feet. Of nineteen nests dis- 

 covered by Dr. Hoy during one season, "ten were built in goose- 

 berry bushes, four on thorn bushes, three among blackberry bushes, 

 one on a raspberry bush, and one on a wild rose." 



