452 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



a 1 . Lower parts whitish, the breast (sometimes middle of belly also) bright yellow. 

 Adult male .- Lesser and middle wing-coverts rufous ; a black patch, of ex- 

 tremely variable shape and extent, on lower part of throat, sometimes con- 

 tinued posteriorly along middle line of breast, or anteriorly to the chin; 

 breast extensively yellow, the forehead, superciliary stripe, and malar stripe 

 more or less strongly washed or overlaid by the same. Adult female: Simi- 

 lar to the male, but much duller, the yellow of breast, malar region, and 

 superciliary stripe fainter and more restricted (often wanting except on 

 breast); throat white, bordered along each side by dusky spots or streaks 

 (the black spot of the male usually obsolete, but sometimes indicated). 

 Young : Similar to adult female, but everywhere tinged with dull bufly or 

 pale ochraceous. Length 5.75-6.80, wing 2.80-3.30, tail 2.35-2.90. Nest of 

 dried grass-stems, etc., in meadows and on prairies, in bushes, low weeds, or 

 near ground. Eggs 3-5, .81 X -61, plain pale blue. Sab. Eastern United 

 States (chiefly west of Alleghanies), west to Eoeky Mountains, north to 

 Massachusetts, New York, Wisconsin, and Minnesota; south, in winter, 

 through Middle America to northern South America ; southwest during 

 migrations to Arizona and Lower California. 



604. S. americana (Gmel.). Dickcissel. 



a 2 . Lower parts dark gray, becoming whitish on belly and lower tail-coverts. Adult 

 male : Plumage of head, neck, and lower parts uniform slate-gray, relieved 

 anteriorly by a distinct superciliary stripe, malar stripe, and broad stripe 

 covering entire chin and throat, white ; the two latter separated by a narrow 

 series of black streaks, which continue around posterior border of the white 

 throat-patch, in the gray of the chest ; upper parts grayish brown, the back 

 and scapulars narrowly streaked with blackish ; belly and lower tail-coverts 

 white, the former tinged with yellow ; length about 5.75, wing 2.86, tail 

 2.56. Sab. Chester County, Pennsylvania (only one specimen known). 



— . S. townsendii (Atid.). Townsend's Bunting. 1 



Genus CALAMOSPIZA Bonaparte. (Page 384, pi. CXIL, fig. 3.) 



Species. 



Adult male in summer : Uniform black, with more or less of a slaty cast, the 

 middle and greater wing-coverts white, forming a very conspicuous patch on wing. 

 Adult female : Above brownish gray, streaked with dusky, the white wing-patch 

 smaller ; lower parts white, streaked on breast and sides with dusky. Adult male 

 in winter : Similar to adult female, but feathers of lower parts (especially on belly) 

 black beneath the surface, this showing when feathers are disarranged. Young : 

 Similar to adult female, but more buify, the feathers of upper parts bordered with 

 buffy white, and streaks on lower parts narrower. Length 6.12-7.50, wing 3.20- 

 3.60, tail 2.85-3.35. Nest and eggs not distinguishable with certainty from those 

 of Spiza americana, the average measurements of the latter being .87 X -65. Sab. 



1 See page 354, A. 0. U. Check List. 



