1897.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 147 



Aves, II, p. 449, t. 41, f. 1, and in 1816 Vieillot proposed the name 

 collaris for it. These names all refer to the eastern bird ; magna 

 having priority, of course holds for this race. 



In 1832 Wagler 2 proposed the name hippocrepis for the Cuban 

 Meadow Lark. In 1843 Audubon described 3 Sturnella neglecta 

 from the Missouri River above Ft. Croghan. Sclater in 1861* 

 called attention to the difference in Meadow Larks from different 

 parts of America, and proposed the names mexicana for the bird of 

 Southern Mexico (Jalapa, Cordova and Orizaba) and meridionalis 

 for the one inhabiting Colombia and Venezuela. 



Later Ridgway proposed the name inexpectata for a very small 

 Meadow Lark from Segovia River, Honduras. These six races 

 have been generally recognized, and have usually been ranked as 

 subspecies, though some authors contend that neglecta should be 

 considered as a distinct species. 



In addition to the forms already described two others have at- 

 tracted the attention of ornithologists on account of their peculiari- 

 ties of coloration, but have hitherto for want of better disposition 

 been included under mexicana. These are the Florida and Rio 

 Grande Meadow Larks. 



Dr. J. A. Allen was the first to call attention to the peculiarities 

 exhibited by the Florida bird (Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., II, 1871, p. 

 288), but as he at that time referred all the forms of Sturnella to 

 one species, he naturally did not propose a new term for this race. 

 Chapman 5 emphasizes the difference between this Meadow Lark and 

 true magna, stating that he is unable to unite them, but on the 

 other hand, considers it impossible to separate the Florida bird from 

 mexicana, and so records it under that name, a practice which has 

 been followed by others but which seems never to have been ratified 

 by the A. O. U. Committee, as they do not include Florida in the 

 range of mexicana in their new Check List. 



The Meadow Lark of the Lower Rio Grande Valley also presents 

 strong points of difference from the recognized forms, and has been 

 recorded under a variety of names. 



In 1878 Sennett stated that magna was common near Browns- 

 ville, Texas, but only one specimen was secured ( $ March 26th), 



2 Isis, 1832, p. 281. 



3 Bds. Amer., VII, p. 339, pi. 487 



4 Ibis, 1861, p. 179. 



5 Auk, 1888, p. 273. 



