Earliest Signs of Spring 
name goes, trades on the reputation of that 
trans-Atlantic genius, the European starling. 
The American group of the same name, 
numbering twenty-seven species, among them 
the oriole, the bobolink, meadow lark, red- 
winged blackbird, and grackle, although not 
blest with any name of genius, includes two 
superior and favorite vocalists the Balti- 
more oriole and the bobolink, whereas many 
of the species do not deserve to be called 
singers. 
The meadow larks have a penchant for open 
fields, where they are to be found, in smaller or 
larger flocks, all day long; but they are inor- 
dinately shy, and commonly take to the wing 
the instant they are approached. Their clearly 
whistled song of three or four notes, which 
seems peculiarly suggestive of the freshness and 
openness of spring, often betrays their invisible 
presence in the grass or grain field; and at 
other times they may be seen walking about 
over the ground, which is also their usual 
place of nesting. When on the wing, their 
identification is easy, both from the large 
amount of white on the outer tail - feathers, 
and from two peculiarities of flight, viz., the 
particularly straight course they take, and the 
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