230 MiNOT Oil Colorado Birds. 



they have twitters of excitement, as they flutter through the shrubbery. 

 They build their nests often in or beneath low, thick spruces, in the open 

 swamps. Their bush nests are bulky, and altogether of straw, well hol- 

 lowed. 



31. Spizella socialis, i?/;. Chipping Sparrow. — Tediously abun- 

 dant in summer, ranging up to 7,000 feet, but apparently not yet attracted 

 to civilization here. At Boulder they remained in flocks up to the last of 

 Mny, feeding on or about buds, and flying into trees when scared. Their 

 trill occasionally had a terminal note. 



32. Cyanospiza amcena, Baird. Lazuli Finch. — Not uncommon 

 as a summer resident. Habits and notes closely like the Indigo Finch's. 

 Song less Warbler-like, but definite, not rambling. 



33. Zamelodia melanocephala, Coues. Black-headed Grosbeak, 

 — A common summer resident. Very unsuspicious. Nest like that of the 

 Rose-breast. Habits somewhat terrestrial. The male sings deliciously, 

 most loudly when on wing or mounted on a high perch. Without the 

 mellowness of the Rose-breast's, his song suggests similarly the Robin's 

 exalted, but at the same time fairly approaches the Mocking-bird's. 

 Ordinary note generic, a sharp chick. 



34. Pipilo chlorurus, Baird. Chestnut-crowned Towhee. — A 

 common summer resident, ranging up to 11,000 feet. Lively and saucy : 

 shyer and fussier than the common Rocky ISIountain Towhee. Habits and 

 song, generic. Song a compardlicelij prolonged ditty, often ending with a 

 loud, half-petulant. Canary-bird sort of cry. Notes, a petulant week, and 

 a characteristic ;9e-M-ee in a Towhee's voice (three syllables). 



35. Agelaeus phoeniceus, Vieill. Red-winged Blackbird. — Abun- 

 dant summer residents, ranging up to 9,000 feet, or perhaps higher. 

 Bush nests near Boulder, that I examined June 1, were made of grass, 

 etc., one lined with hairs, and some of excellent workmanship. All had 

 four typical eggs, and one a Cow-bird's egg, which, as I could not wait to 

 watch the case, as I should have Hked to do extremely, I removed. It 

 proved to be about three days advanced. 



36. Xanthocephalus icterocephalus, Baird. Yellow-headed 

 Blackbird. — Summer residents, locally common about the lower lakes. 

 They have a hoarse, coarse chuck, and a Parrot-like whistle of three 

 descending notes, followed by an extraordinary harsh cry, that is often 

 repeated alone. They are very sociable. 



37. Sturnella magna neglecta, Cones. Western Fieldlark. — 

 Abundant to the Northward, and common in the South. They are becom- 

 ing familiar : in Boulder I was shown a nest within ten yards of a house 

 in a small lot. The nest and eggs were like our Eastern types in every 

 way ; but the birds are curiously different. Tliey are much less shy. 

 Their flight is less pulsating. They flirt their tails (does magna ? I can- 

 not recall). Their song is less shrill and plaintive, and richer. It is most 

 like the fragment of a Thrush's song, and, to a near listener, deliciously 



