ONTARIO. 



GENUS STURNELLA VIEILLOT. 



194. STURNELLA MAGNA (LiNN.). 501. 



Meadowlark, 



Above, the prevailing aspect brown. Each feather of the back blackish, 

 with a terminal reddish-brown area, and sharp brownish-yellow borders ; 

 neck similar, the pattern smaller ; crown streaked with black and brown, and 

 with a pale median and superciliary stripe ; a blackish line behind eye ; 

 several lateral tail feathers white, the others with the inner quills and wing- 

 coverts barred or scolloped with black and brown or gray. Edge of wing, 

 spot over eye, and under-parts generally, bright yellow, the sides and 

 crissum flaxen-brown, with numerous .sharp blackish streaks ; the breast with 

 a large black crescent (obscure in the young) ; bill horn-color ; feet light 

 brown. Length, 10-11 ; wing, 5 ; tail, 3^ ; bill, i. Female similar, 

 smaller, g%. 



HAB. Eastern United States and Southern Canada to the Plains. 



Nest, on the ground, at the foot of a tuft of grass or weeds ; lined with 

 dry grass, and sometimes partly arched over. 



Eggs, 4 to 6 ; dotted and sprinkled with red dish -brown. 



The Meadowlark is found in all suitable districts throughout 

 Ontario, and was observed by Prof. Macoun breeding in the 

 grand valley of the Assinniboine in the Northwest. In the 

 southern portion of the province it is generally distributed 

 throughout the agricultural districts, where its loud, clear, 

 liquid notes are always associated in our minds with fields of 

 clover and new-mown hay. Here it may be considered 

 migratory, the greater number leaving us in October to return 

 again in April, yet it is no uncommon thing to find one or two 

 remaining during the winter in sheltered situations. On the 

 7th of February, 1885, when the cold was intense and snow 

 covered the ground, I noticed an individual of this species 

 digging vigorously into a manure heap at the Beach. When 

 examined he was found to be in very poor condition, and looked 

 altogether as if he had been having a hard time. In the west 

 the Meadowlark resembles our eastern form so closely that it is 

 doubtful if any one, judging by appearance, can separate them 

 with certainty, but the song of the birds is so entirely different, 



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