The Oologist. 



Vol. XXIII. No. 11. Albion, N. Y., Nov., 1906. Whole No. 232 



THE OOLOGIST, 



A Monthly Publication Devoted to 

 OOLOGY, ORNITHOLOGY AND TAXI- 

 DERMY. 



FRANK H. LATTIN, Publisher, 



ALBION, N. Y. 



ERNEST H. SHORT, Editor and Manager. 



Correspondence and items of interest to the 

 student of Birds, their Nests and Eggs, solicited 

 from all. 



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Bobolink. 



ICTERID^. Blackbirds, Orioles, 

 Etc. A. O. U. No. 494. Dolichonyx 

 oryzivorus. 



The Bobolink, or as it is some 

 times called, the May-bird, Meadow- 

 oird, Butter-bird, Skunk-bird, or 



American Ortolan, is a very inter- 

 esting bird to study, having a wide 

 spreading geographical distribution, 

 extending from the central portions 

 of South America as far north as the 

 54th parallel, and west to the plains 

 of Utah. From the extreme south- 

 ern point of their winter habitations, 

 they commence their northern jour- 

 neys early in April and making its 

 appearance in Northern U. S. about 

 the middle of May. 



Its length is about 7 or 8 inches. 

 In the early summer the male is 

 black, with a light-yellow patch on 

 the upper neck, also on the edges of 

 the wings and tail feathers. Rump 

 and upper wings splashed with white. 

 Middle of the back is streaked with 

 pale buff. Tail feathers have pointed 

 tips. 



The female is dull yelow-b/own, 

 with light and dark dashes on wings 

 and tail. Two decided dark stripes 

 on top of the head. She resembles 

 the female English Sparrow but more 

 slender and lighter color effect. Legs 

 long, slender and pale colored. 



About the first of June they begin 

 to build their nest, which is usually 

 on the ground, rarely elevated in tuft 

 of grass, generally in a meadow, and 

 concealed so well among the standing 

 grass that it is very difficult to dis- 

 cover, until the grass has been cut. 



The female is very wary in leav- 

 ing or in returning to her nest, al- 

 ways alighting upon the ground or 

 raising at a distance from it. The 

 male bird, too, if the nest is ap- 

 proached, seeks to decoy the intruder 

 off by his anxiety over a spot remote 

 from the object of his solicitude. 



