336 NESTS AND EGGS OF 



the Blue bird; average size . Sox. 60. Ten eggs measure .76X.60, .76 

 X .62, .77 X .60, .79 X .62, .79 X .59, .80 X .62, .81 X .60, .80X .59, .75 X .56, 

 .82X.59. 



605. Calamospiza melanocorys Stejn. [256.] 



Iiark Bunting. 



Hab. Plains of Dakota and Middle Kansas west to the Rocky Mountains, northward to or beyond 

 the United States, south in winter to Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Lower California and Northern New 

 Mexico; occasional west of the Rocky Mountains. Accidental in Massachusetts. 



A bird of the plains — a summer resident in Middle and Western 

 Kansas, breeding from thence northward to or beyond the United 

 States boundary. The bird is said to utter the most delightful songs, 

 and its warbles are described as similar to those of the Bobolink and 

 the soft cadence of the Skylark. The nest is placed on the ground, 

 sometimes sunken even with the surface, and beneath the shelter of 

 a bush or tuft of grass. It is composed of fine stems, grasses, and 

 lined with finer grasses and vegetable down. 



The eggs are four or five in number, light blue, and measure .85 x 

 .65. Mr. Norris has a set of four collected by Capt. Chas. B. Bendire, 

 near Fort Custer, July 2, 1885. These measure .84 x .65, .84 x .67, .84 

 X.65, .84 X .66. 



606. Euphonia elegantisslma (Bonap.) [160.] 



Bine-headed Enphonia. 



Hab. Eastern Mexico, Central America, south to Veragua, Southern Texas. (Giraud). 



This Tanager of varieated plumage is admitted to our fauna on the 

 above authority and it doubtless does occur over the Mexican boundary. 

 Its eggs are described as creamy-white, with a few scattered spots and 

 blotches ot two shades of brown, principally at the larger end. 



607. Piranga ludoviciana (Wils.) [162.] 



Lionisiana Tanager. 



Hab. Western United States, from the Plains to the Pacific, north to British Columbia, south in win- 

 ter to Guatemala. 



Throughout the evergreen forests from Oregon and Montana 

 southward to Southern California and Arizona this Tanager is a com- 

 mon species, breeding in suitable localities, wherever found. It is 

 called crimson-headed and Western Tanager. The nesting season is 

 in April, May, June and July, according to locality. The nest is a 

 thin, saucer-shaped structure, made of bark strips and grass stems, 

 placed on the horizontal branches of trees, preferedly evergreens and 

 usually in the lower branches. The eggs are three to five in number, 

 of a clear, light bluish-green, finely and rather sparsely sprinkled chief- 

 ly at the larger end with clove-brown. The eggs are of a brighter 

 bluish tint and the markings are more speck-like than those of the 

 Scarlet Tanager or Summer Tanager. The average size is .95 x 65. 



