210 CHAPTERS ON THE NATURAL HISTORY 



South of Maryland they probably breed earlier, about the middle 

 of May, and in those regions two broods may be the rule. Both 

 sexes take part in incubation, the female being the closest sit- 

 ter, however, while the male is easily alarmed, thus frequently 

 betraying the location of the nest. Major Bendire says the 

 " eggs of the Meadow-lark vary considerably both in shape and 

 size; the majority are ovate, while others are short elliptical, 

 and elongate ovate. The shell is strong, closely granulated, and 

 moderately glossy. The ground color is usually pure white; this 

 is occasionally covered with a pale pinkish suffusion, and is 

 very rarely pale greenish white. The eggs are more or less pro- 

 fusely spotted, blotched, and speckled over the entire surface 

 with different shades of brown, ferruginous, pale heliotrope, 

 purple, and lavender; these markings generally predominate 

 about the larger end of the egg, and are rarely heavy enough to 

 hide the ground color. 



" In some sets the markings consist mainly of a profusion of 

 fine dots ; in others the spots are well rounded and fewer in num- 

 ber; and again they occur in the shape of irregular and coarse 

 blotches, mixed with finer specks and dots; in fact, there is an 

 endless variation in the style of markings." 



The material described by Major Bendire has been examined 

 by the present writer at the United States National Museum, 

 and it is remarkable to observe the great variety of patterns of 

 the eggs of this species. The same remark applies to the eggs of 

 the western Meadow-lark, they averaging but slightly smaller 

 than those of the eastern bird. 



On the 18th of June, 1897, my little daughter, Sarah A. Shu- 

 feldt, discovered within a short distance of my home at Takoma, 

 D. C., a nest of the Meadow-lark that contained but two young, 

 and these would have been ready to shift for themselves in a few 

 days. My son dug up the entire sod that supported this nest, 

 bringing the whole, young and all, to my study, in as perfect a 

 condition as possible, and not in the least disturbed. By me it 

 was taken out of doors, and everything being favorable, I suc- 

 ceeded in obtaining a good photographic picture of a typical nest 

 of this well-known species, and a copy of this is here reproduced 

 in order to show how the young Meadow-larks appear within it. 



The original of this picture was taken exactly natural size, 

 and was only reduced in the reproduction. 



Either one of these nestlings has the coloration of the upper 



