22 



THE MEADOWLARK. 



No. 9. 

 MEADOWLARK. 



A. O. U. No. 501. Sturnella magna (Linn.). 



Synonyms. FIELD LARK; MEDLARK; MUDLARK (corruption) ; MEDLAR (po- 

 etical). 



Description. Male : General color of upper parts brownish black modified 

 by tawny and bufnsh 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 

 1.26 (32.). 



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. Eastern 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 McC 



\ PART OF MEADOWLARK'S DOMAIN. 



Photo by the Author. 



