22 THE MEADOWLARK. 
No. 9. 
MEADOWLARK. 
A. O. U. No. 501. Sturnella magna (Linn.). 
Synonyms.—FirL_p Lark; MepLark; MUuDLARK (corruption) ; MEDLAR (po- 
etical ). 
Description.—Vale: General color of upper parts brownish black modified 
by tawny and buffish gray edgings of the feathers, the latter heaviest on second- 
aries and upper tail-feathers, where it takes the form of partial bands; cheeks, 
median, and superciliary lines sordid white; a large crescent on upper breast 
black; chin, upper throat, breast, middle belly, and line over eye bright yellow; 
sides and crissum black-streaked on a white or flaxen ground; bill singularly 
variegated, tawny, black, and white. Female: Like male but smaller and paler. 
The plumage of both sexes is duller in fall and winter, the normal colors being 
restrained by a profuse buffy overlay. Adult male, length 10.00-11.00 (254.- 
279.4); av. of four Columbus males, wing 4.66 (118.4); tail 3.10 (78.7) ; bill 
26m (B25)r 
Recognition Marks.—Robin size; yellow with black or blackish collar, be- 
low; general streaky appearance above. 
Nest, a thin bed of dried grasses on the ground, usually covered or over- 
arched by growing grass. Eggs, 4-6, white, speckled and spotted with cin- 
namon-brown or purplish. Av. size, 1.12 x .80 (28.5 x 20.3). 
General Range.—E astern United States and southern Canada to the Plains. 
Breeds from the Gulf of Mexico northward. 
Range in Ohio.—Wheaton’s words, penned twenty-five years ago, are still 
apt: “Abundant. Summer resident in northern, in part resident in middle, and 
resident, but less numerous in winter, in southern Ohio.” 
Taken at McConnelsville. Photo by the Author. 
A PART OF MEADOWLARK’S DOMAIN. 
