314 PERCHERS AND SINGERS 



and fed, and sings joyously all winter long. This means that 

 in a wild state this bird, like hundreds of other species, mi- 

 grates southward in autumn because it cannot find food in 

 winter in lands of snow and ice. 



The Yellow-Headed Blackbird 1 is a very conspicuous 

 species throughout the West, from Indiana almost to the Pa- 

 cific. Its entire head, neck and breast are of a dull-yellow 

 color, but elsewhere it is wholly black, save a white patch on 

 the wing. In Montana it is very common in summer. 



The Meadowlark 2 is one of the most trustful and 

 sociable of our birds. As its name implies, it is partial to 

 open grass-lands, and its favorite hunting-grounds are the 

 bits of waste land in sloughs (called "slews" in the West), 

 that are full of low weeds. This bird does not like tall grass 

 or weeds, for it is very curious to know all that is going on in 

 the world about it. It is an indifferent flier — slow and short 

 — and manifests a decided preference for the haunts of man. 



The Lark contributes much to the pleasures of life on a 

 farm. Its bright-yellow breast and throat, with a jet-black 

 neck-scarf, are as cheerful as an April sunburst. The long, 

 conical beak, rather long legs and erect carriage of this bird 

 give him an air of cheerful confidence which says to you,' 

 "I'm a good fellow, and you're another!" His song is 

 nothing to boast of, but he always pipes up cheerfully, and 

 does the best he can. I always liked this bird, and count him 

 as one of the dear friends of my boyhood. To me, his plu- 

 mage is beautiful, especially when seen on a fresh, dewy morn- 



1 With an apology to the reader, it is stated that the Latin name of this bird 

 is Xan-tho-ceph'a-lus xan-tho-ceph'a-lus ; and its length is about 9 inches. 



2 Stur-nel'la mag'na. Length, about 10 inches. 



