Bobolink 301 
Distribution.—Breeding from Pennsylvania westwards to Utah, and 
northwards to Quebec and British Columbia; on migration through 
the southern States via the West Indies and Yucatan to southern Brazil 
and Bolivia in winter. 
In Colorado the Bobolink is quite an uncommon bird and has never 
yet been met with nesting. It is chiefly confined to the eastern plains, 
though occasionally straying into the park regions, having been noticed 
by Carter in Middle and South Parks in May at elevations of about 7,000 
to 8,000 feet. Other records are as follows: Near Meeker, 6,000 feet 
in Rio Blanco co. (Hopkins), Steamboat Springs, June Ist to 8th 
(Warren), Loveland (Osburn and Cooke), Boulder co., several records 
(Henderson), El Paso co., May and September (Aiken), Limon (Aiken), 
Salida (Warren 09), Huerfano co., May (Henshaw). 
Habits——The Bobolink is also known as the Skunk- 
Blackbird, Reed-bird and Rice-bird, in various parts of 
its range. In Colorado its best-known name, Bobolink, 
is very generally applied to the Lark-Bunting (Calamo- 
spiza melanocorys), and it is by no means the familiar 
bird it is in the east, where its habits are so well known. 
It is a bird of the open country, and is never found in 
forest, and it appears to be gradually extending its 
western range with the cultivation of cereal crops, on 
which it depends to a great extent for its food. In the 
south it does a very great deal of damage among the rice 
crops, during its northward and southward migrations, 
but in the breeding season and further north it subsists 
chiefly on insects, and those mostly injurious ones. 
The Bobolink is not known to breed in Colorado, 
but in the east it builds its nest on the ground, often 
in company. The eggs, five or six in number, vary a 
good deal; the ground-colour is grey to light brown, 
‘spotted and blotched with deeper purplish and reddish- 
brown. They measure °83 x ‘62. Only one brood is 
raised in the year. Judge Henderson of Boulder informs 
me that he has reason to believe that the Bobolink 
breeds on the plains near Boulder, but he has not yet 
sufficient evidence to positively confirm his observations. 
