174 NORTH AMERICAN RTRDS.. 



most widely different in the wliule series; hippurirpU and nryhrta the 

 most siniihir. The relation of the several races to each other is al)out as 

 follows : — 



A* Yellow of throat coiilinnl within maxillae. 

 <^rown with black ytreaks predominatinj;. 



Smallest species, with re<l<lish tints, and maximum ?mount of black. 



Largest I till meridionahs. 



Smallest bill ; largest feet ..... mexicaua. 



Next laigest species, with less redtlish tints, and smaller amount of 

 black. Rill and feet the standard of comparison . . . magna. 



Crown with the light streaks predominating. 



Narrowest pectoral crescent /tippocre/>is. 



B. Yellow of throat covering maxilhe. 



Crown witli black and light streaks about ecjual. 



Largest species, with grayish tints, and minimum amount of black. 



Smallest feet neylecta. 



Stumella magna, swaixson. 



MEADOW LABK ; OLD FIELD LABK. 



Alauda inmjna, Lixx. Sy.st. Xat. 1, 175S, 1H7, nl. 10 (based on Almida innffua, Catesby, 

 tab. 33). — li!., il2th ed.,) ITtit), 28I>. — Gm. I, 1788, 801. — Wiix.x, Am. Orn. Ill, 

 1811, 20, pi. xix. — DoiGHTY, Cab. I, 1830, 8.'*, pi. v. Sfunirlfa uunjna, Sw.viN.soN, 

 Phil. Mag. I, 1827, 43*). — Baikd, Bh-.ls y. Am. i8.=>8. 53.'>. — Samukl.s 343. Star- 

 mis Iiufiivkianu.'i, LixxA:rs, Syst. Nat. 1, 17«»<>, 290. — Om. 1, 8o2. — Latu. !nd. 1, 

 1790, 323. - Rox. Obs. Wils. 182."., 130. — Lk iir. V.r/. 1823, Xo. 1(5.5. —Am. Orn. 

 Riog. II, 1834, 216; V, 1839, 492, pi. cxxxvi. Stunielhi hnhrichma, S\vaixs(»x, 

 F. Hor.-Am. II, 1831, 282. — Ni'ttall, Man. I, 1832, 147. — Box. List, 1838.— 

 Ib. Coiispectu.s, 1850, 429. —All). Syn. 1839, 148. —lit. Rnds Am. IV, 1842, 70, 

 pi, ccxxiii. — Cabaxis, Mus. Hein. bS.'il, 192. — Alli:x, R. K. Fla. 288. Sfuruclln 

 colloris, ViKiLL. Analyse, 1816. — Ib. Gab-rie des Ois. I, 1824, 134, pi. xe. .SfnniHfi 

 collaris, Waglek, Syst. Av. 1827, 1. — Ib. Isis, 1831, 527. "Otcin/ft a/ifudnrivs, 

 Daudix,'" Cabaxis. 



S?. Char. The feathers above dark brown, margined with brownish-white, and with 

 a terminal blotch of pale reddish-brown. Exposed portions of wings and tail with dark 

 V»rown bars, which on the middle tail-feathers are confluent along the shaft. Reneath 

 yellow, with a black pectoral crescent, the yellow not extending on the side of the 

 maxilla; sides, crissum, and tibioR pale reddish-brown, streaked with blackish. A light 

 median and superciliary stripe, the latter yellow anterior to the eye; a black line behind. 

 Female smaller and duller. Youinj with pectoral crescent replaced by streaks: the yellow 

 of under surface replaced more or less b\' ochraceous or pale fulvous. Length, lO.GvJ; 

 wing, .).00 ; tail, .'^.70 ; bill al)ove, L35. 



IIao. Eastern United States to the high Central Plains, north to Southern British 

 Provinces. England (Sclatkr, Ibis, III, 176). 



Habits. The eastern form of the Meadow Lark is found in all the eastern 

 portions of the United States, from Florida to Texas at the south, and from 

 Nova Scotia to the ^lissouri at the north. Richardson met with it on the 



