BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES, ETC. 51 



S. R., Mch. 5-N0V. 15; a few winter. Glen Ellyn, common S. R.; 

 Jan. 24-Nov. is; irregular W. V. SE. Minn., common S. R., 

 Mch. 25-Oct. is, rare W. V. 



The Meadowlarkisafiferof the fields, whose high, clear 

 whistle is one of the most welcome bird songs of early 

 spring. In May, when nesting, it often sings an ecstatic 

 twittering warble on the wing. The alarm calls are an 

 unmusical dzit or yert and a string of beady, metallic notes. 



The nest is placed on the ground. The 4-6 eggs are 

 white, speckled with brown. 



WESTERN MEADOWLARK 



Sturnella neglecta 



Grayer than the Eastern Meadowlark, with disconnected 

 tail-bars and yellow spreading to the sides of the throat. 



Range. Western United States, rare east of the Mississippi. 

 SE. Minn., common S. R., Mch. 25-Oct. 15. 



With the general appearance and habits of the Eastern 

 Meadowlark, but differing in its call-notes and song. 

 Instead of the sharp dzit or yert and metallic twitter of the 

 eastern bird, the western species calls chuck, chuck, fol- 

 lowed by a rolling 6-r-r-r-. The eastern bird plays the 

 fife but the western uses the flute, and its bubbling grace- 

 notes are easily distinguishable from the straight whistling 

 of its eastern cousin. 



V ORCHARD ORIOLE 

 Icterus spurius. Case 7. Figs. 10-12 



Adult males are unmistakable, but females and young males 

 in their first fall wear a non-committal costume and must be 

 looked at sharply. In their first nesting season, young males 

 resemble the female but have a black throat. This is a smaller, 

 more slender bird than the Baltimore Oriole, and the female is 

 less orange. L. 7 J. 



Range. Eastern United States, nesting from the Gulf States 

 to Massachusetts and Minnesota; winters in the tropics. 



Washington, common S. R., Apl. 20-Aug. 22. Ossining, com- 

 mon S. R., May 2- Aug. 6. Cambridge, S. R., sometimes rather 



