178 NOIM'H A.MKKU'AX lUltUS. 



siR'li R'iimrl<al)lo euntrust willi tlic liuliits of our eastern hirds. At Antelopo 

 Station a pair of tlicse liinU iiad Imilt liifir iicsL uiidcr llie window of llic 

 oHict', anil sirnuid to iMijoy tlio society of the family, wiiilu tlio dopot-iuuster, 

 familiar witli tla^ sony; and lialiits of our (tastcrn liirds, appnsciati'd the t,'reut 

 diniTcniTS hclweun lliu two forms, and called my attention to tlieni. 



yU: Allen also found this Lark evi!iywh(!io aliundant in Colorado, Imt its 

 notes a]>i)eared to him ([iiite ditlerent from those of tho I'ctpresentativus of 

 this species livinjj; to the eastward, in the jiniirio States, lieinj,' less varied 

 and rin;,nn^, and naire <;uttiiral. 



Dr. ('o(i|ier says this hird is nianidant in California, and resident nearly 

 tin()Mj,diout the entire State, iireedin;,' in the Colorado Valley and in all other 

 districts not quite waterless. Their .son;j;s are lively, sweet, and varied. 

 They sing at all seasons, early ami late, from the ground, from the tree-toj), 

 or in the air, and when unmolested are so tame as to make the house-top 

 their favorite perch. Kven the female has consideralile musical power, and 

 cheers her mate liy singing to him while he relieves her hy sitting on the 

 eggs. She also has a harsh, jietulant chiri», freipiently repeated as if in 

 anger. He .states that they liuild their nest in a slight depression under a 

 hunch of grass, and usually more or less arcluid over and artfully concealed. 

 The female, when llusiu'd, usually skulks olf .some distance before she flies. 

 The eggs lie describes as white, with a few large iturjdi.sh-brown blotches and 

 dots towards tlie larger end, and measuring 1.15 inches by .8.3. They are 

 very ol)tuse in shape. 



They feetl cliielly on insects, seeds, and grain, do no danmge to the crops, 

 and desti'oy a \ast numhei' of no.xious insects. 



Dr. Suckley found this iiinl common everywhere in Oregon and Washing- 

 ton Territory, scjuie remaining throughout every winter. In 1855 a few 

 were .seen at Fort Dalles as early as March 5. On the 7th he found them 

 (|uite al)undaiit on the jdoughed fields near Fort Vancouver. Some of these 

 had prol)alply remained all the winter. In February, 185G, he found them 

 (piite abundant at Fort Steilaeoom. At Fort Dalles, liy the 2d of May, he 

 obtained young biids nearly Hedged. 



Mr. Dresser Ibuud it very common during winter near San Antonio, where 

 a few remain to lireed. 



In Arizona, according to Dr. Cones, it is residiuit, but qin'te rare. 



Lieutenant Couch found these binls from the Kio (irande to the high 

 bottoms of the Lower lloLson de Majiimi. Its notes he speaks of as highly 

 musical, contending even with the Mocking Uird for a supronuiey in .song. 



Mr. liidgway found the western Meadow Lark one of the most abundant 

 and characteristic biids of California and all fertile ])ortions of tlu; interior 

 as far east as the Missouri, and remarks that, altliough closely resembling the 

 eastern bird in appearance, its song is totally different, not a note uttered 

 by it having more than a very distant resemblan(;e to any of the well-known 

 marjna of the eastei'ii meadows. In the depth of its tone and the charms 



