A Catalogue of Birds obtained in Navarro County, Texas. 213 



same the seeds of many plants which would otherwise choke the 

 ground, 



Stuenella magna (Linn.) Meadow Lark. — The eastern form 

 of the meadow lark is only found in this county during the 

 winter months, when it is spread over the whole district in large 

 numbers. They arrive about the end of October, in flocks of from 

 fifty to one hundred, and even more, individuals ; the severity of 

 the weather further north is, however, the main cause which 

 regulates their arrival, and even after Christmas fresh accessions 

 are made to the numbers of our visitors with any increase of 

 cold. After their arrival the flocks break up for the most part 

 into small parties, which frequent the corn and cotton fields upon 

 the prairie, and in the thinly wooded districts, and even in the 

 cleared farms of the river bottom, where the allied forms are 

 never found ; here they feed upon beetles, grasshoppers, spiders, 

 and in fact every variety of insect food then obtainable, along 

 with corn and various seeds. These birds leave us again about 

 the end of February, none remaining to breed with us. Though 

 naturally a timid bird, they become comparatively tame during 

 the cold months, and resort to the neighbourhood of houses and 

 farmyards, associating and feeding fearlessly among the domestic 

 poultry, but, if molested, as sometimes happens because of the 

 excellence of their flesh, they become so wary as to make it a 

 matter of no little difiiculty to approach them. They continue in 

 song during the winter, no matter how rigorous the weather may 

 be, perched upon a stake in the fence, a tree, bush, or tuft of 

 grass, and even the housetop, their notes being sweet and clear, 

 but sadly deficient in compass and volume. They are, however, 

 pleasant to hear at that season, when songsters are scarce upon 

 the prairie. 



Vak. mexicana (Sclat.) Mexican Meadow Lark — This form, 

 which differs from S. magna in its smaller size, but longer tarsi, 

 and in the much greater amount of black on the back, rump, and 

 tail feathers, replaces the eastern species in summer, arriving 

 about the end of March, and leaving us during September. They 

 frequent only the grass lands of the prairie and hayfields upon the 

 farms, and are much more unsociable than their congeners, never 

 resorting to the neighbourhood of houses. They seem to feed 

 entirely upon grasshoppers, which they catch by running them 



