THE MEADOWLAEK. 461 



in the shape of irreguUir and coarse blotches, mixed with finer specks and dots; in 

 fact, there is an endless variation in the stjde of markings. 



The average measurement of a series of two hundred and one specimens in 

 the United States National Museum collection is 27.75 by 20.35 millimetres, or 

 1.09 by 0.80 inches. The largest egg measures 30.78 by 22.61 millimetres, 

 or 1.21 by 0.89 inches; the smallest, 21.59 by 18.29 millimetres, or 0.85 by 

 0.72 inch. 



The type specimen, No. 23755 (PI. 6, Fig. 20), from a set of four eggs, taken 

 by Mr. C. W. Richmond, near Washington, District of Columbia, on May 12, 

 1889, has been selected to show the occasional variation in the ground color, 

 being a pale g-reen in this instance. No. 25858 (PI. 6, Fig. 21), from a set of 

 five eggs, Ralph collection, taken by Dr. William L. Ralph, in Oneida County, 

 New York, on May 20, 1882, represents a normally colored and average-marked 

 egg of this species. 



i8o. Sturnella magna mexicana (Sclatee). 



MEXICAN MEADOWLARK. 



Sturnella mexicana SCLATER, Ibis, 1861, 179. 



Sturnella magna var. mexicana Baird, Brewer and Eidgway, History of North American 

 Birds, Vol. II, 1871, 173. 



(B _, C — , E 263a, C 321, U 501a.) 



Geographical range : Central and northern Mexico and contiguous border of the 

 United States; from southern Arizona to the lower Eio Grande Valley, in Texas, and pos- 

 sibly along the Gulf coast to southern Florida; south to Costa Eica, Central America. 



The breeding range of the Mexican Meadowlark, a somewhat smaller 

 race than the preceding, with a smaller bill and larger and stouter feet, is con- 

 fined to our southern border, as indicated above. It appears to be rather 

 uncommon within the limits of the United States, unless we include the small, 

 dark bird found in southern Florida, which Mr. Frank M. Chapman refers to 

 this subspecies. He makes the following- remarks about the Florida bird: 



"Abundant. Comparison will not permit me to refer the small, dark 

 Meadowlark, resident in Florida, to Sturnella magna, and while they are not 

 fully typical of Sturnella magna mexicana, they approach it so closely as to appar- 

 ently render subspecific separation impossible. The Florida birds are perhaps 

 slightly darker above, the neck gorget is somewhat wider, and the yellow of the 

 under parts has more of a sulphur tint than in Mexican specimens." ^ 



Among the series of skins in the United States National Museum collection 

 are specimens from Tennessee and southern Indiana which are about as dark 

 and as small as the southern Florida birds ; the difference, if any, is very trifling, 

 and if the Florida bird is admitted to be Sturnella magna mexicana, these would 

 also have to be included in this race. They certainly diflFer considerably from 

 some skins examined by me, which were taken near Brownsville, Texas, and 



'The Auk, A^ol. V, 1888, p. 273. 



