540 



General Notes. 



FAuk 

 LOct. 



they must have been protected onlj' by the early flowering Marigolds for 

 when discovered by Mr. Nutter on May 13, the grass was but just spring- 

 ing up, the bog being still frozen hard at a depth of only a foot or so from 

 the surface, as was discovered on attempting to drive surveyor's stakes. 

 By the twenty-second the grass was nearly knee high but was still over- 

 topped by the Marigolds and the marsh was yet gay with the golden 

 blossoms. By the time the parents ceased their nesting duties their 

 domiciles were hidden at the bottom of a miniature forest of luxuriant 

 meadow grass and marshy plants, more than waist high, with all the origi- 

 nal land marks obliterated and not a vestige of the early Marigold shelter 

 to be seen. — Thos. S. Roberts, Minneapolis, Minn. 



Southern Meadowlark {Sturnella ynagna argutula) in Northern Illi- 

 nois. — In November, 1913, it was my good fortune to attend the Annual 

 Meeting of the A. O. U. in New York City, and later to inspect a number 

 of collections of birds in the New England States. 



At different points Meadow Larks were seen, some flying up quite near 

 the train. 



These birds appeared to be much larger than those of northeastern lUi- 

 nois. This was verified upon examining some Massachusetts specimens 

 in Mr. Hersey's collection at Taunton; their large size as compared with 

 Illinois birds at once attracted my attention. Mr. Hersey and Mr. C. L. 

 PhiUips of Taunton sent me some skins of the Massachusetts birds. Later 

 in looking over the skins of birds taken in Illinois, and on comparing 

 them with true Sturnella magna argutula from Florida, I found them to 

 be identical. Whether the type of Alauda magna Linn, was this subspe- 

 cies, or represented the large New England Sturnella magna, I am not able 

 to say, but the species which breeds in northern Illinois and adjacent 

 states is not true magna as has been supposed, but argutula. The meas- 

 urements following are from specimens in my collection referred to Sturnella 

 magna. 



Sturnella magna. 

 (Measurements in inches). 



Henry K. Coale, Highland Park, III. 



