20 Sketches of Some Common Birds. 



it seems that, like the fabled wrestler of old, his every 

 contact with earth endues him with fresh animation. 



The meadow lark belongs to a proud family, being 

 classed with the Baltimore oriole, the grackles, the bobo- 

 link, and other distinguished species. Its place in ornith- 

 ology being with the grackles and orioles, it is thus seen 

 that it is not a real lark; but the title of lark will doubt- 

 less ever be applied to it. It is, however, in no way un- 

 worthy of its family, either in attractive plumage, digni- 

 fied manners, or melodious voice. Its habit corresponds 

 very closely to the places it frequents, its upper parts 

 having mingled brown, yellow, and other colors which 

 mimic the dried vegetation of the meadows. The prin- 

 cipal features of its plumage are the rich yellow of its 

 breast and under parts, and the crescent of jet which 

 ornaments the upper portion of its breast. When on the 

 ground it walks with all the dignity of the bronzed 

 grackle, and under no circumstances does it commit any 

 action that will besmirch the fair name it has ever borne, 

 for no shadow of suspicion has touched its character, a 

 fact that will not apply to the grackle and others of its 

 relatives. Like the grackle, it takes its food almost ex- 

 clusively from the ground. In fact, it serves the farmer 

 more effectively than any other species, and it should 

 therefore receive the protection and regard to which its 

 very valuable services entitle it. Thoughtless hunters and 

 boys who shoot the larks for mere pastime should be 

 prompt^ ejected from the premises of the farmer who 

 knows his real friends, even when the latter are only 

 birds. 



Concerning the food of the meadow lark, a topic of 

 special interest to agriculturists, we have definite informa- 

 tion in the investigations of Prof. S. A. Forbes, reported 

 in the transactions of the Illinois Horticultural Society, 

 1880. In the conclusion of the paper, the author says 

 that we must admit the probable eminent usefulness of 

 this bird. Its great destruction of grasshoppers, and of 

 cut-worms and other caterpillars, and the absence of all 

 depredations other than the appropriation of scattered 

 grains of corn, taken in connection with the fact that it 

 eats only the normal average of predaceous insects, are 



