DICKCISSEL, 155 
Some thirty or forty years ago the Dickcissel, or 
Black-throated Bunting, was a locally common bird in 
the Middle Atlantic States. Now it is 
Spiza americana _varely found east of the Alleghanies, 
Tae Lt and even in the Mississippi Valley its 
range is becoming restricted, and it is of irregular distri- 
bution. 
It migrates in large flocks, the males in the spring 
being several days in advance of the females. About 
May 1 it reaches the latitude of Chicago, and by the mid- 
dle of the month is mated. The nest is placed’ on the 
ground, or in low trees or bushes ; the eggs, four or five 
in number, are pale blue. 
In the work previously quoted from, Mr. Ridgway 
writes of this species: “ While’some other birds are 
equally numerous, there are few that announce their 
presence as persistently as this species.” All day long, 
in spring and summer, the males, sometimes to the num- 
ber of a dozen or more for each meadow of considerable 
extent, perch 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 blossoms and wild 
roses, when ‘ Dame Nature’ is in her most joyous mood.” 
TANAGERS. (FAMILY TANAGRID2) 
The Tanagers, numbering some three hundred. and 
fifty species, are found only in America. Their home 
is in the tropies, where they are among the most abun- 
dant of birds. But two species reach the eastern United 
States, the Summer Redbird of the South and our Scar- 
let Tanager, both worthy representatives of a group 
of birds which in brillianey of color rival even the Hum- 
en wa si 
