190 STURNELLA MAGNA, MEADOW-LARK. 



spotted all over with several shades of reddish-brown, sometimes so 

 thiekly, esi)ecially at the larger end, as to hide the gronnd-eolor. This 

 spcckiiiig instead of strealcinji^, is more like that of the eggs of the 

 tScolccophagi than of the Afjclcci. During incubation the males appear 

 to desert their mates, as is certainly the case with the Boat-tailed 

 Grackle. 1 have found the birds nesting in June, in New Mexico, and 

 during the sanje month in Northern Dakota. 



At other seasons these Blackbirds are very generally dispersed. They 

 gather about stock-yaids and corrals, come into the emigrants' cam]) at 

 evening, and ramble fearlessly among the animals in search of food, often 

 in company with flocks of Cow-birds. They are eminently terrestrial 

 birds, as indicated by their long, strong legs, and large rasoiial claws, 

 and ahvays walk or run, instead of hopping on the ground. They retire 

 in cold weather from the northerly i)ortions of their habitat. 



STUENELLA MAGNA, (Linn.) Bd. 



Meadow-lark ; Field-lark. 



a. magna. 



Almida magna, Linn., Syst. Nat. i, 1758, 167 {ex Catesh/, pi. 33) ; 1766, 289.— Gm., Hid. 

 ed. 13tli, 1788, 801.— Wils., Aid. Oru. iii, 1811, 'io, pi. 19. 



Sturudla maqna, Bd., 15. N. A. 1858, 535; aud of inauy late authors. — Hayd., Eep. 1862. 

 169 (to 430).— Allen, jieni. Bost. Soc. i, 1868, 496.— Tkiite, Pr. Bost. !Soc. xii 

 1872, 239 (Io^va).— Hart., Brit. B. 1872. 118 (Eus^laiul).- CouES, Key, 1872, 

 157, tig. 99, aud pi. 6, ligs. 1, 2, 3, 4.— B. B. & R., N. A. B. ii, 1874, 174, pl.*34. f. 2. 



Sturnm ludoviciaiiiiii, Linn., Sykt. Nat. i, 176G, 290.— Gm., i. 1788, 802. — Lath., LkI. Oru. 

 i, 1790, 323.— Bp., Jouru. Phila. Acad, iv, 1824, ISO ; Syu. 1828.— Nutt., Mau. i, 

 1832, 147.— Aud., Oru. Biog. ii, 1834, 216 ; v, 18.39, 492; pi. 136. 



SiunieJhi ludoriciana, ii\\\, F. B. A. ii, 1831, 282.- Br., List, 1838, 29; Consp. i, 1850, 

 429.— Aud., Syu. 1839, 148; B. Am. iv, 1842, 70, pi. 223.— Cui., Mus. Heiu. i, 

 1851, 192.— Allen, Bull. M. C. Z. ii, 1871, 288. 



8lurncUa coUaris, Vieill. Anal. 1816 ; Gal. Ois. i, 1824, 134, pi. 90. 



iSiuDins coUaris, Wagl., Syst. Av. i, 1827, No. 1 ; Isis, 1831, 527. 



Cacicns alaiidarius, Daud., (Jidc Cahanis). 



b. neglccta. 



Stnruella neglccta, Aud., B. Am. vii, 1843, 339, \A. 487.— Woodh., Sitgr. Eep. 1853, 78.— 

 Newb., p. R. E. Eep. vi, 1857, 86.— Bd., B. N. A. 1858, 537.— Kenn., P. E. R. 

 Eep. X, 1859, pt. iv, 31.— Heerm., thkJ. pt. vi, 54.— Coop. & Suck., N. H. Wash. 

 Ter. 1860, 208.— Hayd., Eep. 1862, 109.— Dress., Ibis, 1865, 492 (Texas).- 

 Cass., Pr. Phila. Acad. 1866, 23.— Coues, Pr. Phila. Acad. 1866, 91.— Coop., B. 

 Cal. i, 1870, 270.— Hold., Pr. Bost. Soc. 1872, 203 — Tkippe, Pr. Bost. Soc. 1872, 

 239 (Iowa, with the preccdiuo).— SxEV., U. S. Geol. Surv. Ter. 1870, 465.— 

 Meri{., ibid. 1872, 687.— Snow,"B. Kaus. 1873, 8. 



SlurucUa ludoviciaiia var. neglccta, Allen, Bull. M. C. Z. iii, 1872, 178. 



Sttirnclla magna var. neglccta, Coues, Key, 1872, 157.— B. B. & E., N. A: B. ii, 1874, pi. 

 34, f. 1. 



" {1) Sturnclla Mppocreim, Heerm., Journ. Phila. Acad, ii, 1853, 269 (Suisun)." 



c. M2)]Jocrepis. 

 (Cuba.) 



Stiirnella Mpiwcrrpis, Wagl., Isis, 1832, 281.— Lawr., Ann. Lye. vii, 1860, 266.— ScL., 



Ibis, 1861, 179 ; Cat. 1862, 139 (Cuba).— Cass., Pr. Phila. Acad. 1866, 24. 

 Sturnella magna var. h>2>i)0crcpis, B. B. & I^ N. A. B. ii, 1874, 172. 



d. mexicana. 



(Mexico and Central America.) 



(?) Sturnella magna, Sw., Syu. Mex. B. Philos. Mag. i, 1827, 436 (Mexico). 

 ;SttinteUahi2}2)ocrepis,Sci..,l\Z.S. 1856, 30, 301; 1859, 58, 365, 381; Cat. 1862, 139.— 



SCL. &, Salv., Ibis, i, 18.59, 19; 1860, 34. 

 Stitrnella mexicana, ScL., Ibis, iii, 1861, 179. — Lawr., Ann. Lye. iii, 1865, 177 (New 



Granada).— Cass., Pr. Phila. Acad. 1866, 24. 

 Sturnella magna var. mexicana, B. B. &, E., N. A. B. ii, 1874, 172. 



