e two varieties.

503. AUDUBON'S ORIOLE. _Icterus melanocephalus auduboni._

Range.--Mexico and the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas.

This large Oriole has a wholly black head, neck, fore breast, tail and
wings; it is 9.5 inches in length. They are quite abundant and resident
in southern Texas where they build at low elevations in trees,
preferably mesquites, making the nests of woven grasses and hanging them
from the small twigs of the trees; the nests are more like those of the
Orchard Oriole and not long and pensile like those of the Baltimore. The
three to five eggs are grayish white, blotched, clouded, spotted or
streaked with brownish and purple. Size 1.00 x .70. Data.--Brownsville,
Texas, April 6, 1897. 5 eggs. Nest of threads from palmetto leaves,
hanging from limb of mesquite, 10 feet above ground in the open woods.
Collector, Frank B. Armstrong.

[Illustration 321: Audubon Oriole.]
[Illustration: White.]
[Illustration: deco-photo.]
[Illustration: right hand margin.]

Page 320

504. SCOTT'S ORIOLE. _Icterus parisorum._

Range.--Western Mexico north to the adjoining states; north to Nevada.

This handsome black and yellow species does not appear to be abundant in
any part of its range. Their nests are swung from the under side of
leaves of the yucca palm or from small branches of low trees, and are
made of grass and fibres. The eggs are bluish white, specked and
blotched chiefly about the large end with blackish brown and lilac gray.
Size .95 X .65. Data.--Chiricahua Mts., Arizona, June 5, 1900. Nest
placed on the under side of a yucca palm leaf, being hung from the
spines, about 4 feet from the ground. Altitude 7000 feet. Collector, O.
W. Howard.

505. SENNETT'S ORIOLE. _Icterus cucullatus sennetti._

Range.--Mexico, north in summer to the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas.

This species is orange yellow except for the face, throat, fore back,
wings and tail, which are black; the wings are crossed by two white
bars. These handsome birds are the most abundant of the Orioles on the
Lower Rio Grande, where their pure mellow whistle is heard at frequent
intervals throughout the day. They generally build their nests in
hanging moss from mesquite trees, turning up at the ends and lining the
pocket with moss, or else make a shallow hanging nest of fibres and
suspend it from yuccas. During May or June they lay from three to five
eggs of a white color, spotted (rarely lined) with purplish brown and
gr