72 



TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 



a handsomelj^ cross-^\x>ven layer of wiry black moss fibers 

 and chestnut club-moss stems; the wliole being a very 

 well made and handsome structure, in which were three 

 eggs with a clayey greenish ground color; two of them 

 are thickly and uniformly dotted with dull reddish brown : 

 between the dots the ground color shows plainly in many 

 places; the third egg is so densely dotted with reddish 

 brown and chocolate that the ground color can hardly be 

 traced, in a few places. This egg measures .90x.70; the 

 other two, .89x.68 and .90x.68." 

 Eggs three to five; in form, oval. 



XV.— MEADOWLAEK. 



Sturnella magna (Linn.). 



Resident; abundant in the eastern and middle portion 

 of the State ; rare in the westera. Begin laying early in 

 May. ^ 



Habitat. Eastern North America; north to l^ova 

 Scotia and Canada ; west to the edge of the Great Plains. 

 Breeds throughout its range. 



Iris brown; bill reddish to olive brown, with basal 

 half of under pale bluish; legs light bluish flesh color; 

 feet, especially the joints, darker; claws brown. 



These well-known, plump, pretty birds inhabit the prai- 

 ries and open grass lands, where, during the summer 

 months, they feed almost exclusively upon beetles, grass- 

 hoppers, etc., and in winter upon the fallen seeds and 

 grains, often visiting the cattle yards; harmless, beauti- 

 ful birds, in no sense injurious, and therefore general 

 favorites. They are very hardy, wintering from the Mid- 

 dle States southward, and the earliest of our spring song- 



