BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 213 



Habitat. Western North America, from Wisconsin, Illinois and Texas to the 

 Pacific coast. Accidental in the Atlantic states (Mass., S. C., Penna., Fla.). 



I have never met with the Yellow-headed Blackbird in Pennsylvania, 

 where it occurs only as an accidental visitor. 



"Dr. Jackson mentions that this species is occasionally seen along" the 

 Allegheny mountains, where a dock appeared in the autumn of 1857. 

 Mr. John Krider shot a young- male near Philadelphia." Turnbull. 



In a letter dated April 6, 1890, Mr. H. C. Kirkpatrick, of Meadville, 

 Crawford county, writes as follows concerning- this bird : " I had the 

 good fortune to get a fine pair of Yellow-headed Blackbirds on March 

 25, 1890, the first I have ever observed around here." 



GENUS STURNELLA VIEILLOT. 



Sturnella magna (LiNN.). 







Meadowlark. 



DESCRIPTION (Plate 28~). 



Thick and stout body ; legs large ; toes reach beyond the tail ; hind toe long, its 

 claw twice as long as middle one ; upper mandible (dried specimens) dark brown ; 

 lower bill lighter at base, dark towards the point ; tarsus and feet light brownish ; 

 claws darker ; iris brown. Feathers of head stiffish, tipped with bristles. Throat, 

 sides of breast, spot from nostrils to eye, edge of wing and abdomen bright yellow ; 

 breast with a large black crescent, the horns of which go half-way up side of neck ; 

 the feathers above dark brown ; exposed portions of wings and tail with transverse 

 dark-brown bars, which on the middle tail feathers are confluent along the shaft ; 

 strong shade of bluish-ash on lesser wing-coverts ; several lateral tail feathers partly 

 white ; sides, under tail-coverts and tibiae pale reddish-brown, streaked with black- 

 ish ; a light stripe extends from base of upper mandible over crown ; and similar ones 

 over along sides of top of head ; a faint black streak above the eye, and a broad one 

 behind it. Sexes alike but female usually duller than male. Birds in the autumn 

 have black breast spot more or less obscured with grayish or brownish. Southern 

 birds are smaller than northern. Male, length about 10| inches ; extent about 16^ 

 inches. The female is smaller. 



Habitat. Eastern United States and southern Canada to the plains. 



The Meadowlark occurs in Pennsylvania during all months of the 

 year, but in the spring, summer, and particularly in the autumn, is much 

 more common than throughout the dreary months of winter. These 

 birds are gregarious, at least they generally, when not engaged in breed- 

 ing, are to be found in small flocks, which wander about from place to 

 place, and only discontinue this nomadic life when they engage in house- 

 keeping. These well known rovers, rendered so conspicuous by their 

 yellow shirts and black bosoms, collect usually in parties of from twelve 

 to thirty each ; in the fall, however, it is not uncommon to find a hun- 

 dred, and sometimes more, of these birds scattered about a field or 

 meadow. Meadowlarks generally quite shy and difficult of approach- 

 frequent at all seasons, principally grassy fields and meadows, but 

 during the winter when deep snows cover their common feeding grounds, 



