1914] Bryant: Economic Status of the Western Meadowlark 477 



SOME INTERESTING SIDE-LIGHTS ON THE 

 INVESTIGATION 



In an investigation of this kind where so many birds of the 

 same species have come to hand it would be unfortunate if some 

 account were not taken of certain scientific problems such as 

 variation, parasitism, etc. 



PARASITISM 



Owing to the fact that birds were received in the laboratory 

 preserved in formalin it has been impossible to examine them 

 for blood parasites. The only parasites discovered have been 

 nematodes (Spiroptera sp. ?), which have been found in the body 

 cavity and more often in the intestine. Fewer than one one- 

 hundredth of one per cent of the birds examined, however, were 

 found to be infected. Hence western meadowlarks do not appear 

 to be parasitized to any great extent by round worms. Western 

 robins have shown a larger percentage of infection. 



T. G. Pearson (1909) says of the eastern meadowlark: "A 

 parasitic worm often found in the small of the back deters many 

 experienced persons, however, from pursuing the bird persist- 

 ently." Whether the western meadowlark is parasitized to a 

 greater or less extent is not known, owing to the lack of data on 

 the eastern meadowlark in this regard. 



Tachinid larvae have been taken from the stomachs of mead- 

 owlarks. As these larvae are common parasites of grasshoppers 

 and crickets, their presence in the stomachs would seem to be 

 easily explained. However, in two cases at least they were eaten 

 separately, for no grasshoppers or crickets were found in the 

 stomachs containing the larvae. 



MALFORMATION 



Three or four birds received in the laboratory had lost a 

 foot or leg. In each instance the end of the broken tarsus had 

 become enlarged and hardened by use. One bird, handicapped 

 by the loss of both tarsi, was dwarfed. 



