284 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. 



Genus STURNELLA Vikillot. 

 STURNELLA MAGNA (Lixx.). 



205. Meadowlark. (r)Ul) 



Above, tlie prevailing aspect brown. Each feather of the back l)lackish, 

 with a terminal reddish -brown area, and sharp brownish-yellow bortlers ; 

 neck similar; the pattern smaller : crown, streaked with black and lirown, and 

 with a pale median and superciliary stripe ; a blackish line Ijehind eye ; 

 several lateral tail feathers white, the others with the inner qnills and wing 

 coverts barred or scolloped with black and brown or gray ; edge of wing, spot 

 over eye, and under parts generally, bright yellow ; the sides and crissum, 

 flaxen brown, witli numerous sharp blackish streaks ; the breast, with a large 

 l)lack crescent (obscure in the young) ; bill, honi color ; feet, light brown. 

 Length, lU-U ; wing, .5 ; tail, 3i ; bill, 1^. Female : — Similar, smaller. 9i. 



Hab. — Eastern United States and Southern Canada to the Plains. 



Nest, on the groiuid, at the foot of a tuft of grass or weeds, lined witli dry 

 gi'ass, and sometimes parth' aiched over. 



Eggs, four to six. white, dotted ami sprinkled with reddi.sh-biown. 



The Meadowlark is t'oiuid in all suitable districts throughout 

 Ontario, apparently pret'errinii the south-west. In the southern 

 portion of the Province, it is generally distributeil thi'oughout the 

 agricultural districts, where its loud, clear, liquid notes are always 

 associated in our minds with fields of clover and new-mown hay. 

 Here it may be considered migratory, the greater number leaving us 

 in OctoV>er to return again in April, but it is no uncommon thing to 

 find one or two remaining during the winter in sheltered situations. 

 On the 7th of Fe))i-uaiy, 1SS.5, when the cold was intense and snow 

 covered the ground, T noticed an individual of this species digging 

 vigorously into a niaiiuie heaji at Hamilton Beach. When examined 

 he was found to be in very poor condition, and looked altogether as 

 if he had V)een having a hard time. The present species is found 

 north to Manitoba, where it is i-ej)laced by the Western Meadowlark, 

 which i('semV)les our eastern form so closely that it is doubtful if any 

 one, judging by ajjpearance only, could separate them with certainty. 

 The song of the Inrds is so entirely difierciit that, chiefiy on this 

 account, the western bird has been recorded as a sub-species under 

 the name of Stn'nifUd hkk/iki iieglecta, or Western Meadowlark, the 

 <h'V centi'al j)Iaiiis foiining the bouiidarv l)etw(^eii the two lial)itats. 



