North American Birds Eggs. 



241 



50 lb. Western Meadowlark. SlurncUa mafjna itcglecta. 



Range. — North America west of the ^lississippi and from Manitoba and Brit- 

 ish Columbia southward, its range overhipping that of the eastern Meadowlark 

 in the Mississippi Valle.v, but the two varieties appear not to intermingle. This 

 variety is paler than the eastern, but the greatest point of difference is in the 

 songs, they being wholly unlike, and that of the western bird much louder, 

 sweeter and more varietl than the simple whistle of the eastern form. The 

 nesting habits of both varieties are the same and the eggs indistinguishable. 



501c. Florida Meadowlark. Sturnella mafjna arfjutula. 



Range.— Florida and the Gulf coast. 



A very similar bird to the northern form but slightly smaller and darker. 

 There are nu differences between the eggs of the two varieties. 



[502.] Troupial. Icterus ictrrtis. 



Range. — Northern South America; claimed by Audubon to have been taken 

 in South Car(jlina. This large Oriole is frequently kept in captivity. 



503. Audubon Oriole. Icterti-s aiidiihoitii . 



Range. — ^lexico and the Lower Riu Grande Valley in Texas. 



This large (_)riole has a wh(jl]y black head, neck, fore 

 breast, tail and wings; yellowish underparts and greenish 

 yellow back: it is 0.5 inches in length. They are cjuite 

 aViundant and resident in southern Texas wdiere they build 

 at low elevations in trees, iJi'f^ferably mesquites, making 

 the nests of woven grasses and hanging them from tlje 

 small outer twigs of the trees; the nests are more like those 

 of the Orchard Oriole and not long and pensile like those 

 of the Baltimore. The three to five eggs are grayish white, 

 blotched, clouded, spotted or streaked with brownish and purple. S 

 Data.— Brownsville, Texas, April (i, 1897. 5 eggs. Nest of threa 

 metto leaves, hanging from limb of mesquite, 10 feet above ground 

 woods. Collector, Frank B. Armstrong. 



•^^^ 



V 





hite.l 



ize 



ds 



in 



1.00 X .70. 

 from pal- 

 the open 



504. Scott Oriole. Irterufi parhonim. 

 Range. — Western Mexico north to the adjoining states; north to Nevada. 



^-- This handsome black and yellow species does not appear 



/J^"'' to be afiundant in any part of its range. Their nests are 



' Jf". ■ swung from the under side of leaves of the yucca palm or 



from small branches of low trees, and are made of grass 

 and fibres. The eggs are bluish white, specked and blotch- 

 ed chiefly about the large end with blackish brown and 

 fBluish white.] lilac gray. Size .95 x .65. Data.— Chiricahua Mts., Arizona, 



June 5, 1900. Nest placed on the under side of a yucca palm leaf, being hung 

 from the spines, about 4 feet from the ground. Altitude 7000 feet. Collector 

 O. W. Howard. 

 17 



