168 



the tirst was seen March 20; at Argusville, Dak., March 27; at Oak 

 Point, Manitoba, May 17. 



Dr. Agersborg states that the western Meadowlark breeds abun- 

 dantly in southeastern Dakota, to the exclusion of the eastern. 



In the spring of 1885 no distinction was made in the records of ob- 

 servers between the eastern and western Mead owl arks, and it was 

 thought that they could not be separated until a decided difference was 

 discovered in the times of their migration. The general rule holds 

 good for fully nine-tenths of the migratory birds of the district, that 

 those which pass over the Plains migrate several days or even weeks 

 later than their fellows which are traveling nearer the Mississippi River. 

 Hence, when we find that the Meadowlarks of the Plains move quite 

 uniformly a week or more in advance of their eastern brethren, it may 

 be safely concluded that the difference in time is caused by a difference 

 in the species. These western birds were quite plentiful at Ellsworth, 

 Kans., during the month of February, and on the 4th of March appeared 

 at Unadilla and Linwood, Nebr., being common at Linwood by March 

 12. They reached Grand View, Dak., March 21; Sioux City, Iowa, 

 March 22; Huron, Dak., and Eininetsburgh, Iowa, March 25; Heron 

 Lake, Minn., March 26; Moorhead, Minn., March 31, where they were 

 heard and seen over a sheet of snow which had fallen the day before. 

 At Menoken, Dak., the first was seen April 4 ; at Larimore, D.ik., April 

 5; at Ossowo, Manitoba, April 6; and at Oak Point, Manitoba, April 9. 



503. Icterus audubonii Girand. [20G.] Audubon's Oriole. 



The home of Audubon's Oriole is from central Mexico north to the 

 Lower Rio Grande Valley, in Texas, where it is a tolerably common resi* 

 dent. It is the only Oriole which spends the winter within the United 

 States. 



505. Icterus cucullatus Swains. [269.] Hooded Oriole. 



The Hooded Oriole inhabits eastern Mexico, coming north to the 

 Lower Rio Grande, in Texas, where it is a common summer resident, 

 and the most abundant of the four Orioles that breed there. 



506. Icterus spurius (Linn.). [270. J Orchard Oriole. 



The Orchard Oriole is a common summer resident in most parts of 

 the Mississippi Valley, breediug from southern Texas to central Minne- 

 sota and Dakota. It is a common breeder at Brown's Valle} 7 , on the 

 boundary between Dakota and Minnesota (Roberts & Beuner, Bull. 

 Nutt. Ornith. Club, Vol. V, 1880, p. 15) ; and Mr. J. A. Allen found a few 

 as far west as Heart River, Dak., west of the Missouri (Proc. Bost. 

 Soc. Nat, Hist., Vol. XVII, Oct., 1874). It winters south of the United 

 States, and crosses our border about the last of March. Its migration 

 is steady and uniform. Its advance northward occurs at the s ime time 

 on both sides of the Mississippi, and even on the Plains.. Moreover, it 

 is so conspicuous a bird that it is easily observed. In the spring of 1S84 



