-43 



^Ibe Black^tbroateb 

 Buntfng. 



3Bb (3len m. Ibatborn. 



This cheerful and abundant little bunting- 

 is one of the first of our meadow birds to ar''- 

 rive in the spring-; and his coming- is by no 

 means unheralded, for from weed stalk, fence 

 post and thorn bush comes the merry ditty, 

 "chick, chick, chee-chee-chee," repeated at 

 short intervals at all hours of the day. 



The dickcissal is socialistic in his beliefs, 

 and every level field, or upland meadow is oc- 

 cupied by a pair or more of them; and I have 

 found as many as seven nests in a clover-field 

 not more than half an acre in extent. In fact, 

 the clover-field seems to be their favorite 

 nesting- place, althoug-h the thistle is quite 

 frequently the place selected for a nesting- 

 site. All the nests which I have found this 

 season were in clover-fields and the nests, 

 with but one exception, were built in thistles,' 

 which stood admidst the clover blossoms. 



Spizaamericana seems to be a rather late 



