472 S YSTEMA TIC S YNOPSIS. — PA SSERES — OSCINES. 



closed wing. Tail very short, rounded, of narrow, acute feathers. Feathers of crown stiffish, 

 bristle-tipped. No other genus approaches Sturnella, excepting TmpiaUs, which is much the 

 same, with red instead of yellow. Contains several imperfectly difterentiated conspecies, li of 

 this country. 



Analysis of Conspecies. 



Common Characters. — Plumage highly variegated ; each feather of back blackish, with terminal reddish-brown 

 area, and sharp brownish-yellow borders ; neck similar, the pattern smaller ; crown streaked with black and brown, and 

 with a pale median and superciliary stripe ; a blackish line behind eye ; several lateral tail-feathers white, the others, 

 with inner quiUs and wing-coverts, barred or scalloped with black, and brown or gray. Edge of wing, spot over eye, and 

 under parts generally, bright yellow ; sides and crissum flaxen-brown, with numerous sharp blackish streaks ; breast with, 

 a large black crescent (obscure in young). 



Prevailmg tone brown above : yellow of chin confined to space between forks of jaw ; wings and tail with confluent 

 black bars and gray scallops. 



Larger; black less predominant ; wing 4.50 or more magna. 



Smaller ; black more predominant ; wing 4.50 or less '"• hoopesi 



Prevailing tone gray above : yellow of chin spreading on cheeks ; wings and tail with alternatmg black and gray bars 



■neglecla 



S. mag'na. (Lat. magna, large. Fig. 319.) Field Lark. Old-field Lark. Meadow 

 Lark. Colors as above described rich and pure, the prevailing aspect brown; black streaks 

 prevailing on crown ; yellow of chin usually confined between rami of under mandible ; black 

 bars on wings and tail usually confluent along shaft of the feathers, leaving the gray in scal- 

 lops. Sexes similar : ? duller colored, the yellow paler. Young at first have little if any pale 

 yellow, and pectoral crescent indicated by a few streaks. Length of $ 10.00-11.00; extent 

 about 17.00; wing 4.50 or more; tail 3.50; bill 1.35; tarsus 1.40. ?: Length 9.00-9.50; 

 extent about 15.00 ; wing 4.25 ; tail 3.00. Varies greatly in size, like Agelcmis ; southern- 

 bred birds much smaller than northern. Eastern U. S. and British Provinces ; N. to about 54° ; 

 mixing in the Upper Mississippi valley with neglecta, and extending to edge of the Plains ; 

 everywhere abundant in open country; winters usually from the Middle States southward ; im- 

 perfectly migratory ; partially gregarious when not breeding ; strictly terrestrial ; an agreeable 

 vocalist. Breeds throughout its range; nest of* dried grass, etc., on the ground, usually domed 

 or covered in some way in the grass-clump, occasionally at the end of a long arch-way ; the 

 fabric is thick-walled, with comparatively small cavity, measuring usually 6 or 7 inches acros.s 

 outside, and 3 or 4 in depth, with a cavity of only about 3x2 inches. Eggs 3-7, usually 

 4-6, oftenest 5, crystal white, rarely tinged, speckled with reddish and pur[)lisli, in endless, 

 variation of size, number, and shade of the markings, but neither veined nor clouded ; very 

 variable in size, from 0.85 X 0.72 to 1.20 X 0.90, averaging 1.10 X 0.80. Two or three 

 broods may be reared. 



S. m. argu'tula. (Lat. argntula, rather noisy, somewhat talkative.) Florida Meadow 

 Lark. Slightly different from the foregoing; averaging a little smaller, yellower below, 

 browner above. Florida to Louisiana ; Mississippi valley to S. E. 111. and S. W. lud. Bangs, 

 Proc. N. E. Zool. Club, Feb. 28, 1899, p. 20. 



S. m. hoopes'i. (To Josiah Hoopes, of Westchester, Pa.) Rio Grande Meadow Lark. 

 Very siniihir ; the browns intense, approaching reddish-brown : black at a inaxunum ; yellow 

 very rich. Size smaller; wing of $ about 4.25; bill and feet relatively larger; bill 1.20; 

 tarsus 1.60. Northern Mexico to S. border of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona; not so well 

 marked as the next. (S. m. mexicana of 2d-4th eds. of Key. S. vi. hoopesi Stone, Pr. 

 Phihi. Acad. 1897, p. 149; A. 0. U. Suppl. List, Auk, Jan. 1899, p. 113, No. 501 a.) 

 S. ueglec'ta. (Lat. neglecta, not selected, overlooked ; as the variety long was.) Western 

 Meadow Lark. The colors duller and paler, the prevailing aspect gray; black at a mini- 

 mum, not prevailing over gray on the crown ; yellow of chin usually encroaching on sides of 

 lower jaw; black on wings and tail usually resolved into distinct bars, alternating witli gray 



