438 niEADUW LARK. 



Next/inr/s. Ave -iimilar to tlic adult above, excepting that there is no yellow on the superciliary line ami the brown (.f 

 the head is mixed with reddish. Beneath, uniform pale yellow, lighter in the f'^inab on tha throat, with the sides, flanks, 

 and a crescent-slia|)ed patcln on the lireast, spotted and lined with dark-l)rown. liill and feet, brown, the former lighter on 

 lower mandible. But Avhat is most singular is tliat in this stage there is mueli uujrc white on the tail than in any other 

 stage. The wing and tail feathers are unulted. 



OBSERVATir)XS. 



lieailily known from all other lurds by the descrijition as above. As will be seen by the measurements, Florida speei- 

 mens differ in being smaller and they are also brighter in color. The so-called "mylcc/a" from the West differs in having the 

 yellow extend up on the luaxillary, which is seldom if ever seen on more eastern skins. Individuals from the same locality 

 do not vary much either in size or color. Distributed in summer throughout the United States south of the latitude of 

 Southern New Hampshire, usually retreating a little southward in wintei'. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements of ten male specimens from Massachusetts. Length, lO'lO; stretch, 10-30; wing, 4'00; tail, 

 3-10; bill, r'25; tarsus, I'.30. Longest specimen, 1 1 '00; greatest extent t)f wing, 17'()0; longest wing, 5-15; tail, 3',5n; bill, 

 1'30; tarsus, 1-25. Shortest specimen, 'J-9,'>; smallest extent ofwing, 15-07; shortcstwing, 4'7G; tail, 2-83; liill, 1-18; tarsus, 

 1-30. 



Average measurements of nine female specimens froai Massachusetts. Length, !)'5.5; stretch, 14-43; wing, '1'2I>; tail, 

 2'83; hill, 1 20; tar-sus, l'3i). Longest specimen, 9- 75; greatest extent ofwing, 15'fi3; longest wing,4'56; tail, 3-11; bill, 

 1-25; tai-sus, 1-4L S!iortest specimen, 8-98; smallest extent of wing, 13-50; shortest wing,4-15; tail, 2-48; bill, 1- 1(5; tarsus, 

 1-24. 



Average measurements of ten male specimens from Florida. Length, 9-80; stretch, 15-70; wing, 4-45; tail, 2-85; bill, 

 1-20; tai-sus, 1-46. Longest specimen, 10-20; greatest extent of wing, 15-75; longest wing, 4-()0, tail, 3-20; Ijill, 1-28; tai-sns, 

 1-45. Shortest spociraen, 9-.5;i; smallest extent ofwing, 14-75; shortest wing, 4-25; tail, 2-82; liill, 1-15; tarsus, 1-35. 



Average mca.siirements of f )urteen female specimens from Florida. Length, 0-55; stretch, 1-44; wing, 4-25; tail, 2-82; 

 bill, 1-lB; tirsu:, 1-3:1. L mgj-it sp3ei;n3a, 9-53; greate-it extent of wing, 14-75; hmgest wing, 4-G.5; tail, 2-90; liill, 1-20; 

 tarsus, 1-35. Shortest specunen, 8-50; smallest extent of wing, 13-00; shortest wing, 3-90; tail, 2-40; bill, 1-13; tarsus, 1-25. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGOS. 



iVesZs, placed on the ground. They are com|)oscd of grass lined with finer. Dimensions; external diameter, 5-10, in- 

 ternal, 2-12. External dejjth, 5-15, internal, 2-15. 



Ejf/s, oval inforai, f)ur t isix in nu u'l^r, pure white in colnr, spotted an 1 bhitched with redish-brown and lilac, inore 

 thii'kly on the larger end. Dimensiuus from l-05x -70 to l-15x 80. 



HABITS. 



The famous Indiiin Hunting; Grounds of Florida wliich lie south of the Everglades, 

 iire very remarkable as the topography of the country is quite dilferent from any that I 

 ever saw elsewhere in the state. A narrow strip of high pine land extends along the coast, 

 but back of this is a wide reach of prairie that is bounded on the west liy a strip of piney 

 woods beyond which is another stretch of open land, thus prairies iind woods alternate for 

 many miles. The growth of grass on the margins of these ^dains is low, seldom exceeding 

 six inches in height, and consequently forms the homes of countless Meadow Larks, for 

 these birds always cxhiJnt a decided preference for low herbage. The Hunting Grounds 

 were a perfect wilderness at the time of my visit in 1871, for there was lint one settler and 

 he was newly locatc;l in the neighborhood. The nearest house to the eastward was thirty 

 miles distance and to the westward and northward hundreds of miles intervened before 

 there was the slightest vestige of civiliztition. Thus the birds which occured there were 

 seldom if ever disturbed so that I found them exceedingly tame; in fact they would start 

 up at my feet, fly a- few yards, and either settle down again in the grass or alight on a low 

 limli of a pine, where they would (juietly gaze at me, even allowing me to pass directly 

 bL-noath them without attempting to move. Then as if satisfied that I intended doing them 

 no harm, would sound aloud, strange note which was so utterly at variance with the song 



