40 JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS. 
Regarding the few Meadow-larks, which winter in these parts, it 
may be said that a family of these birds has, during the past winter, 
been located in several hilly-stubble fields and meadows near here. 
In one of these fields (wheat stubble) there was an immense straw- 
stack, or rather a slovenly-shaped mound of straw and chaffy seed, 
covering nearly a quarter of an acre, and in the interstices and 
cavities of this refuse the birds seemingly found ample food and 
shelter during the inclement weather of winter, and emerged to give 
out their well-known notes in the brief intervals and fine days of the 
cold season. Although these are supposed to be insectivorous birds 
they have been seen to eat the seeds of some species of grasses, 
such as timothy and clover, and also, with seeming relish, those of 
the dandelion and other weeds. The imperfect cultivation of our 
fields has multiplied the number of weeds, and the annual thistle 
crop, not to mention numerous other vegetable pests, affords food 
and nesting material for innumerable birds and small animals. 
Since the snow has melted from the fields, great numbers of 
the neatly-made nests of the Field Mouse are to be seen, especially | 
about the surface of the oat-stubble fields. These nests are like a 
round ball, and are as large as the two fists of aman. _If one takes 
them to pieces it will be seen that they have been made with much 
labor and skill. The inner cavity is lined with finely hetchelled 
grass and straw-fillers; and when one takes into account that all 
operations have been performed under the deep cold snow, the 
materials gathered by means of tunnels made to the distance of a 
number of feet from the intended winter residence, a store of food 
provided for the many weeks’ tenancy, and the cold from above, 
below and around carefully provided against, he cannot but admire 
the industry, skill, and foresight of the little architect and builder. 
One of our fur-buyers lately made some remarks about the 
eccentric markings of the Skunk, and stated that there is a great 
variety in the memphitic markings. In some of them instead 
of the white V on a black ground, there is a W, with other modifica- 
tions. Dame Nature seems at times to indulge in a singularly 
burlesquing mood, as seen in the face markings of the Raccoon, 
and inits ringed and banded caudal appendage. The curious black 
diamond-shaped spot on the chzz of the Chickadee, the white Have- 
lock hood of the black-plumaged Bob-o-link, the white choker of 
