i54 Birds of Buzzard's Roost 



has been classed, by some later naturalists, with the starlings. 

 But in the particular form of his bill, in his manners, plumage, 

 mode and place of building his nest, nature had clearly pointed 

 out his proper family." 



As the name indicates, the meadow lark is a bird of the 

 fields, most frequently being found in the meadows, and 

 spends the greater part of its life on the ground, where all of 

 its food is obtained. It is sometimes called the old field 

 lark. In their general appearance the sexes are alike, ex- 

 cept that the female looks a little paler. The body is thick 

 and stout. The general aspect of the head very flat from 

 crown to end of bill, which is one and a half inches long, of 

 horn color, straight, somewhat heavy, and well adapted to 

 taking food from the roots of plants. A median line of light 

 buff or yellow extends from the base of the bill over the top 

 of the head; crown of the head on either side of this line is 

 dark brown and a line of the same color extends from the bill 

 to and beyond the eye, and between them and below the eye 

 is a cream colored streak and patch ; neck and back highly 

 variegated, each feather being blackish with a terminal reddish 

 brown area, and sharp brownish borders. The chin and 

 throat are yellow with a large, conspicuous black crescent on 

 the breast; sides and lower belly light yellow streaked with 

 black; outer tail feathers chiefly white and very conspicuous 

 in flight; legs and feet dark brown, feet very large and well 

 adapted to walking. 



There are different species of the meadow lark. The 

 species sturnella magna is found in Minnesota, Iowa, western 

 Kansas and Indian Territory, and northern and eastern Texas 

 and all of the country east of this line of states, also in south- 

 ern portions of Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick 

 and Nova Scotia. It breeds in all parts of this immense dis- 

 trict. In winter months it is not generally found north of a 

 diagonal line commencing on the Atlantic coast at about 40 

 degrees north and running southeasterly to 38 degrees north 

 in Kansas. It comes into the Middle West the last part of 

 February, with its call of "spring of the year." Usually mat- 

 ing does not begin until early in April. Most of them leave 

 Indiana by the first of November. Occasionally some of 



