The Birds of El Paso County, Colorado S7S 



normal autumnal shade of brownish red, but this color is ob- 

 scured or hidden by sooty black tips to the feathers. The 

 general effect is that of a black bird." The bird died late that 

 autumn. 



Guiraca caerulea lazula. Western Blue Grosbeak. 



Summer resident; not common. Arrives about June 1. 



There are comparatively few records of the Blue Grosbeak 

 for El Paso County ; it has been taken or observed at Colorado 

 Springs, Skinner's, Fountain and Buttes at intervals from 

 1872 up to the present time, and the dates run from June 1 

 to August 13, nearly all being June occurrences. 



Passerina cyanea. Indigo Bunting. 



Rare; but one record for the County, a male taken by 

 Aiken May 8, 1872, at his ranch on Turkey Creek. 



Passerina amcena. Lazuli Bunting. 



Summer resident; common. Arrives about the first week 

 in May ; departs in August and September. 



This beautiful bird is quite common in the brush along 

 the streams ; a number seem to spend the summer in Monu- 

 ment Valley Park, where one day three of the brightly clad 

 males were seen on a food table. Aiken found, June 19, 1898, 

 in rose bushes on a hillside near Bear Creek a nest of this 

 species containing 3 eggs and one Cowbird's egg. He notes 

 the song of one bird heard as tsup, tsup, tsip,'tsip,-tsip, uttered 

 in loud clear tone and repeated at intervals of a minute or so. 

 The vertical range of this bird extends but little if any above 

 7,000 feet. 



Spiza americana. Dickcissel. 



There is a single specimen of this bird in the Aiken Col- 

 lection, a male taken at Broadmoor Ranch, August 29, 1897. 



