FAM. XIII. FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 



141 



52. Dickcissel (604. Splza americana). — A yellow-breasted, 

 black-throated, streaky-backed, sparrow-like bird with a red- 

 dish spot on the bend of 

 the wing. The chin 

 above the black throat 

 is white, with more or 

 less of yellow on the 

 cheeks, and the crown 

 and side of head are 

 gray, with a yellow line 

 over the eye. The back 

 is brownish, streaked 

 with black, and the belly 

 whitish. Female duller 

 and with but little yel- 

 low except on the breast, 

 and the black throat 

 patch almost wanting, 

 sometimes slightly in- . Dickcissel 



r ^gm^ dieated by dusky spots. In summer it is abun- 

 dant west of the Alleghanies in weedy 

 fields, and the common notes it utters 

 lire expressed by its name. (Black- 

 tliviiated Bunting.) 



Length, 6; ; wing, 3| 

 (2;-33) ; tail^ 2J ; tarsus, 



culmen, ; ormore. East- 

 ern United States to tlie 

 Itocl?;y Mountains ; breed- 

 ing from Texas to southern 

 Ontario, and wintering in 

 northern South America. 

 Very rare east of the Alle- 

 ghanies. 



Lark Bunting 



53. Lark Bunting (605. Calamosplza melanocorys). — A west- 

 ern, square-tailed, stout-billed, black bird, with a large white 

 patch on the wings. The female (also the male in autumn and 



