CHA.P. 3. 



BIRDS OF VERMONT. 



67 



THE BARN OWL. 



THE MEADOWLARK. 



or of a hollow cavity of an old tree. The 

 eggs are of a form approaching to globu- 

 lar, are of a glossy-white color, and are 

 from three to six in number. This owl 

 feeds upon mice, beetles, moths and 

 grasshoppers, 



THE BARxN OWL, 



St7-ix americana. — Audubon. 



Description. — Bill pale grayish yel- 

 low ; claws and scales brownish yellow. 

 General color of the upper parts grayish 

 brown,withligJit yellowish-red intersi)ers- 

 ed, produced by very minute mottling, e.ich 

 feather having towards the end a central 

 streak of deep brown terminated by a 

 small oblong grayish-white spot ; wings 

 Bimilarly colored ; secondary coverts and 

 outer edge-s of primary coverts with a 

 large proportion of light brownish-red, 

 fading anteriorly into white, each feather 

 having a small dark brown spotat the tip. 

 Length and spread, male 17, 42; female 

 18, 46. — .Judiibotu 



History. — This owl, though very com- 

 mon in tlie southern states, is so rare at 

 the north-east, that Audubon says that 

 he has never seen it to the eastward of 

 Pennsylvania, and yet I am assured by 

 Dr. Brewer that it is not only found in 

 Vermont, but breeds here. This owl is 

 entirely nocturnal in its habits, and when 

 disturbed in the day time flies about in a 

 irregular, bewildered manner. Audubon 

 supposes its food to consist entirely of 

 small quadrupeds. This owl is said to 

 bear a close resemblance to the Strixjlam- 

 mca, or White Barn Owl. 



OMNIVOROUS BIRDS. 



These have the bill robust, medium- 

 sized, and sharp on the edges ; upper 

 mandible more or less convex, and notch- 

 ed at the point; feet with four toes, three 

 before and one behind; wings of medium 

 length ; quill feathers terminating in a 

 point. They live, for the most part, in 

 companies or flocks and arc monogamous. 

 The greater part of them build their nests 

 on trees, but some of the species occupy 

 the crannies of old walls, and some build 

 upon the ground. Tlieir principal food 

 consists of insects, worms and carrion, to 

 which they often add grain and fruit. 



Genus Sturnds. — Linnaus. 

 Generic Characters. — The bill in the 

 form of a ienglhened cone, depressed and some- 

 what blunt, with the edges vertical ; above some- 

 what rounded. Nostrils partly closed by an arched 

 membrane. The tongue narrowed, sharp, and 

 clefl at the point; the hind nail lonj^est and lar- 

 gest ; the first quill short, the second and third 

 longest. 



THE MEADOW LARK. 



6tvir7ms ludovlcianus. — Linnjeus- 



Description. — The color above is va- 

 riegated with black, bright bay and ochre- 

 ous; beneath and a line over the eye 

 bright yellow ; a black crescent on the 

 breast ; tail wedge-form, feathers pointed, 

 and the four outer ones nearly all white; 

 bill brown above, bluish white beneath, 

 conical with deep rounded sinuses at the 

 base ; legs and feet large, reddish white. 

 The sexes difler but little in color, but in 

 the young the yellow is much fainter. 

 Length of the specimen before me 10 

 inches; folded v;ing, 5. 



History. — The Meadow Lark is a 

 harmless bird, and is common in all parts 

 of the United States, and particularly so 

 in Vermont, where it breeds in large 

 numbers. Their residence is cliiefly in 

 meadows and old fields. They build their 

 nest in some thick tuft of dry grass. It 

 is usually constructed of tlie cr)arso grass, 

 lined with finer blades of the same, and 

 approached by the bird tlirough a con- 

 cealed covered' way, and lience they are 

 not readily found. The eggs are large 

 and white, with a bluish tint, and marked 

 witli brownisli spots. Tliey are usually 

 4 or 5 in number. The food of the Meadow 

 Lark consists of the larvos of various kinds 

 of insects, worms, beetles and grass seeds ; 

 but it does not meddle with fruits and 

 berries. It is of a shy, timid and retiring 

 disposition, usually spending tlie wiiole 

 summer in t!ie moist meadows, and only 

 retiring from them on the approach of 

 winter. 



Genus Icterus. — Brisson. 

 Generic Characters. — Bill in tlie form 

 of an elongated sharp pointed cone, somewhat 

 compressed, rounded above, and rarely somewhat 

 curved ; with the margins inflected. Nostrils 

 oval, covered by a membrane. Tongue sharp and 

 cleft at the tip. Tarsus longer than the miildle 

 toe ; inner loe but little shorter tiian the outer, and 

 nearly equal to the hind one ; middle toe longest ; 

 hind nail twice as large as the others. Wings 

 sharp ; first and second primary, but lillle shorter 

 than the third and fourlli. which are longest. The 

 female verydlflerent from the male, and the yoimg 

 resemble the female. 



