Western Meadow-Lark 309 



numbers in suitable localities, seem to be referable to this subspecies. 

 There are examples in the Aiken collection from El Paso (February and 

 March) and from Pueblo (November 11th). 



Genus STURNELLA. 



Medium-sized birds — wing about 5-0 — with a long and slender beak 

 about as long as the head ; nostrils oval, overhung by a prominent 

 horny operculum ; tail very short, about f the length of wing ; the 

 tips of the feathers slightly pointed and stiffened ; tarsus long and 

 strong, nearly J the length of wing, longer than the middle toe and 

 claw ; plumage mottled with brown above, chiefly yellow below ; 

 sexes alike, except that the female is markedly smaller. 



The Meadow-Larks, comprising three species and several subspecies, 

 range over temperate and tropical America southwards to the valley 

 of the Amazon. Only one species is found in Colorado. 



Western Meadow-Lark. Sturnella neglecta. 



A.O.U. Checklist no 501 -1— Colorado Records— Allen 72, pp. 150, 157 

 (iS. ludoviciana neglecta) ; Aiken 72, p. 203 ; Henshaw 75, p. 317 ; 

 Scott 79, p. 94 ; Minot 80, p. 230 ; Tresz 81, p. 94 ; Drew 81, p. 139 ; 

 85, p. 16 ; C. N. Allen 81, p. 145 ; Nash 83, p. 225 ; Allen & Brewster 

 83, p. 193 ; Beckham 85, p. 142 ; 87, p. 124 ; W. G. Smith 86, p. 13 ; 

 Morrison 88, p. 75 ; 89, p. 148 ; Kellogg 90, p. 88 ; Lowe 92, p. 101 ; 

 01, p. 276 ; MiUer 94, p. 32 ; Cooke 97, pp. 94, 211 ; Dille 03, p. 74 ; 

 Henderson 03, p. 236 ; 09, p. 234 ; Warren 06, p. 22 ; 08, p. 24 ; 09, 

 p. 15 ; Markman 07, p. 157 ; Gihnan 07, p. 156 ; Rockwell 08, p. 170. 



Description. — Male in summer — General colour above pale brown, 

 blotched and marked with darker ; a median stripe on the crown and 

 two superciUary stripes pale, separated by broad stripes of almost black ; 

 the inner secondaries, tail-coverts and tail are marked with transverse 

 bands of darker ; below, the chin, malar region, throat, centre of the 

 breast, edge of the wing and front portion of the superciliary stripe 

 bright lemon-yellow ; a black crescent-band across the chest ; sides of 

 the body, flanks and under tail-coverts whitish, spotted and streaked 

 with black ; iris brown ; upper mandible black, lower greyish ; legs 

 pale pinkish-grey. Length 9 10 ; wing 5 ; tail 3 ; culmen 1-15 ; 

 tarsus 1-45. 



The male in winter is brighter above, the darker brown being con- 

 cealed at the bases of the feathers ; most of the feathers of the back, too, 

 are edged pale buffy -white. The yellow below is a brighter shade, 

 but it and the black necklace are considerably obscured by the white 

 tips to most of the feathers, which apparently wear off in the spring. 

 The upper mandible is also much paler. The female in summer 

 resembles the male, but is markedly smaller (wing 4-30) ; the black 



