No. 2.] HOFFMAN ON THE BIRDS OF NEVADA. 231 



tree, with the head partly elevated as in our S. inagna, but ofteu tliere 

 appeared a studied care in the delivery of the musical changes, as if the 

 song had been but recently acquired or was not thoroughly familiar to the 

 singer. Then again there would How forth a run of melodious notes that 

 strongly suggested a more proficient songster than one would suppose to 

 find in this bird. The nesting habits observed later in the season cor- 

 respond with observations made subsequently in Dakota Territory, 

 where they appeared to select the tufts of tall grass in the more fertile 

 regions, between or near which they constructed their nests, consisting 

 of grass, &c. 



As regards the coloration of tho western variety nothing need be said, 

 but I have observed quite a number of specimens secured in the Schuyl- 

 kill Valley, Pennsylvania, especially from Beading, as far southeast as 

 Philadelphia, some of which resemble neglecta so closely that, were the 

 locality of capture unknown, identification would be almost impossible. 

 As a rule, however, that persistency of coloration characteristic of neglecta 

 does not prevail in the eastern variety, in which it is found rather vari- 

 able, and rarely the deviation consists only of a slight pallor of the 

 breast and neck, the yellow patch becoming more ashy and not so in- 

 tense as in magna x)roper. The song of the eastern form is also like 

 that of magna, and this variation of plumage appears about as frequently 

 as instances of total or partial albinism in Passer domesHcus. 



Icterus ])arisorum Bonap. — Scott's Oriole. 



The only probable instance of the occurrence of this bird within the 

 latitude of the lower extremity of the State is that given by Dr. Cooper, 

 who says : " This species is abundant at Cape St. Lucas, and has been 

 found at rare intervals all along the southern border of the United States 

 as far east as Texas. I saw a bird at Fort Mojave, in April, which I 

 supposed to be this, but could not obtain it." Mr. Henshaw, in his An- 

 notated List of the Birds of Arizona, says it is not uncommon in the ex- 

 treme southeastern part in summer, and Captain Bendire adds that he 

 found it breeding at Tucson. Considering the general uniformity of the 

 ]Dhysical characters between the two regions (Fort Mojave and Tucson), 

 it is more than i^robable that individuals may wander as far up the Col- 

 orado Eiver as Mojave, as future observations will no doubt ijrove. 



Icterus htdlocld (Swains.) Bp. — Bullock's Oriole. 



This beautiful bird is common throughout the timbered bottom lands, 

 and holds the same place in the Interior Basin that the Baltimore Oriole 

 does in the east. They make their appearance about the middle of April 

 in the vicinity of the Humboldt Valley, and begin to build about the 

 10th or 15th of May. In the willow groves along the tributaries of the 

 Humboldt Eiver and Independence Creek this species was constantly 

 heard during the day. The nest, as described by Dr. Cooper, is " built 

 near the end of a branch, often overhanging the road or house, and 



