406 Birds of Colorado 
The Dickcissel is a rare bird in Colorado, and has only been found 
on the eastern plains and foothills of the mountains. Though noted 
by Allen as ‘‘ common near Colorado City’ in 1871, it has only been 
met a few times since. There is one example in the Aiken collection 
taken near Colorado Springs August 29th, 1897; Capt. Thorne saw 
six near Fort Lyon June 22nd, 1884; P. L. Jones found it nesting in 
1890 near Cafion City, and a few pairs spend the summer near Fort 
Collins (Cooke) ; recently Smith found it to be not uncommon near 
Wray in June, and has little doubt that they nest in the neighbourhood 
of the town, and also on Boye’s Ranche, some twelve miles to the south. 
Habits.—The Dickcissel is a well-known bird in the 
middle west, making its summer-home on the open 
fields and prairies. The males are very conspicuous 
in the breeding season, perching on tall weeds or fence 
posts, and continually giving vent to their somewhat 
inharmonious attempts at song. They are strong on the 
wing, but seldom fly high, except on migration. Their 
food is chiefly seeds with some berries, and insects 
especially when rearing their young. 
The nest is placed upon the ground or in a low bush ; 
the eggs, four or five in number, are uniform light blue, 
and measure "82 x ‘63. 
Genus CALAMOSPIZA. 
Terrestrial Finches of medium size—wing under 3-75—with a stout, 
somewhat swollen bill; the upper and lower mandibles about equal 
in depth ; the culmen more than half the length of the tarsus ; nostrils 
exposed ; wing long, the four outer primaries about equal and abruptly 
longer than the fifth ; inner secondaries elongated so that the difference 
between primaries and secondaries is less than the tarsus ; tail about 
-78 of the wing ; tarsus stout about one-third of tail. Sexes distinct in 
summer, alike in winter ; males black with white wing-patch, females 
and winter males streaked. 
Only one species is included in this genus. 
Lark-Bunting. Calamospiza melanocorys. 
A.O.U. Checklist no 605—Colorado Records—Baird 58, p. 493 
(C. bicolor); Allen 72, pp. 149, 157; Henshaw 75, p. 294; Allen & 
Brewster 83, p. 191 ; Drew 85, p. 16; Dille 86, p. 29 ; 03, p. 74; Lowe 
