YELLOW OR ORANGE CONSPICUOUS 517 



505 a. ARIZONA HOODED ORIOLE. — Icterus 



cucullatus nelsoni. 



Family : The Blackbirds, Orioles, etc. 



Length: Male 6.90-7.80 ; female 6.90-7.30. 



Adult Male : General plumage saffron-yellow ; black patch on throat, 

 extending in front and under the eyes ; a band across the fore part of 

 back ; tail and wings black, the latter with two white bars and white 

 edgings ; tail tipped with white. 



Adult Female : Upper parts olive-green, slightly tinged with gray on 

 back ; wings olive-brown, with two white bands ; under parts plain 

 dull yellow. 



Young : Similar to female, but with throat patch as in the male. 



Geographical Distribution : Western Mexico and Lower California, north 

 to New Mexico, Arizona, and west of the Sierra Nevada in Southern 

 California ; north to Santa Barbara. 



Breeding Range: Coast district of Southern California, north as far as 

 Santa Barbara. 



Breeding Season : April 20 to July 1. 



Ifest: Basket-shaped; of green wiry grass and sometimes dry yucca 

 fibres; occasionally lined with willow down, wool, or horsehair; se- 

 curely fastened with twigs and semi-pensile, at various heights from 

 12 to 40 feet from the ground. 



Eggs : 3 to 5 ; speckled with brown, and having zigzag markings. Size 

 0.88 X 0.62. 



Dodging about among the dull green, the Arizona 

 Hooded Oriole makes a gay bit of color, like a brilliant 

 blossom in the acres of chaparral that abound in the San 

 Diegan district. His orange breast rivals the poppies 

 in its gorgeous hue, and his song fills the air with music. 

 In all his ways he is much more like the orchard oriole 

 of the East than like any of the Western species. His 

 protest is the same harsh "scraack." His call-note is 

 the same clear whistle, and his song has the same joyous 

 sweetness. Like the orchard oriole, he haunts the heavy 



