Part 35

Range. Nests from Georgia and Louisiana to Canada; winters in the tropics.

Washington, common S.R., Apl. 29-Oct. 9. Ossining, common S.R., May 4-Oct. 17. Cambridge, common S.R., May 15-Oct. 1. N. Ohio, common S.R., Apl. 26-Oct. 10. Glen Ellyn, fairly common S.R., May 1-Sept. 22. SE. Minn., common S.R. Apl. 28-Oct. 2.

"July, July, summer-summer's here; morning, noontide, evening, list to me" the Indigo sings in rather hard but brilliant little voice. To me the words express the rhythm as well as the spirit of the song. We hear them most often in bushy fields and open second-growths, along hedge-rows or from briery clumps in which the bird's nest may be hidden. The pale, bluish white eggs are laid the latter half of May.

PAINTED BUNTING

Passerina ciris. Case 6, Figs. 49, 50

The male is one of our most brilliantly colored birds, the female has the color of a Vireo but the bill of a Sparrow.

Range. Southern States north to southeastern North Carolina and southern Kansas; winters from southern Florida southward.

"Painted" Bunting he is called, but the brilliancy and luster of his plumage were not painted by human hands. 'Nonpareil' he has also been named, and, in the eastern United States, at least, he is without equal in the brightness of his colors. The bird's haunts are not unlike those of the Indigo Bunting, and its song is said to resemble the Indigo's but to be more feeble. It builds in bushes and low trees, laying 3-4 bluish white, brown-spotted eggs in May.

DICKCISSEL

Spiza americana. Case 7, Fig. 20

The yellow on the breast and, in the male, black crescent will distinguish this species from all its Sparrow kin. L. 6.

Range. Chiefly prairies of the Mississippi Valley, from Texas and Mississippi north to Minnesota and southern Ontario; now rare east of the Alleghanies.

Washington, formerly "very abundant," now seen only occasionally, May-Aug. Cambridge, casual, found nesting at Medford, June 9. 1877, where several birds were observed; not uncommon in 1833-34 (see Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, III, 1878, 45. 190). N. Ohio, rare S.R., May 1. Glen Ellyn, rather rare and local S.R., formerly common. May 3-Sept. 5. SE. Minn., common S.R., May 11-Aug. 20.

The Dickcissel is a bird of the fields who, from a weed-stalk or fence by the wayside, sings his unmusical dick-dick cissel, cissel, cissel. The nest is built on the ground or in a bush and the 4-5 pale blue eggs are laid the latter half of May.

TANAGERS. FAMILY TANGARIDÆ

SCARLET TANAGER

Piranga erythromelas. Case 7, Figs. 27, 28

The black wings and tail of the male will distinguish him from our other two red birds--the Cardinal and Summer Tanager. The olive-green female may be known from all our other olive-green birds by her larger size. L. 7-1/4.

Range. Nests from northern Georgia and southern Kansas to Canada; winters in the tropics.

Washington, common T.V., less common S.R., Apl. 17-Oct. 15. Ossining, common S.R., May 4-Oct. 9. Cambridge, rather common S.R., May 12-Oct. 1. N. Ohio, common S.R., Apl. 28-Oct. 2. Glen Ellyn, not common S.R., Apl. 30-Sept. 29. SE. Minn., common S.R., Apl. 29-Sept. 11.

As a family Tanagers are the most strikingly colored of American birds, but among the nearly 400 species none appears more brilliant in life than the male Scarlet Tanager. The leaf-colored female is as difficult to see as the male is conspicuous. Both have the same characteristic call--chip-chúrr, chip-chúrr. The song suggests a Robin's but is more forced and has a hoarse undertone. They live and nest in the woods, building on a horizontal limb 10-20 feet up. The 3-4 greenish blue, brown-marked eggs are laid late in May.

SUMMER TANAGER

Piranga rubra rubra. Case 5, Figs. 33, 34

The male is usually red like the Cardinal, but lacks the Cardinal's crest; the female is more yellow than the female of the Scarlet Tanager.

Range. Southern States; nesting north to Maryland and Illinois; winters in the tropics.

Washington, uncommon S.R., Apl. 18-Sept. 19. Cambridge, one record.

The "Summer Redbird's" chicky-tucky-tuck, is as clearly pronounced and unmistakable as the Scarlet Tanager's chip-chúrr. Its song is somewhat sweeter than that of its scarlet cousin, but bears a general resemblance to it. Both pine and deciduous woods are inhabited by this bird. Its nesting habits resemble those of the Scarlet Tanager.

SWALLOWS. FAMILY HIRUNDINIDÆ