40 



THE IOWA OKNITHOLOGIST. 



trees grrow in such localities, they 

 nest in them. Have found them 

 nesting- in small willows along- the 

 banks of a river. The eg-gs are 

 usually four in number. The 

 nests are composed of a layer of 

 g-rass, one of mud and the lining-, 

 which is almost invariably of 

 line round g-rass resembling- horse 

 hair. Before leaving in the fall 

 they cong-reg-ate in large flocks, 

 and often attack fields of corn, 

 doing- some damag-e by eating the 

 grain some distance from the 

 small end of the ear, the kernels 

 being- then in the milk. This 

 species is sometimes, though 

 rarelv, a winter resident."! Jno. 

 V. Crone. 



501. Sturnella magna. 



MEADOW LARK. 



One of our most common summer 

 residents, in mild winters when 

 there is plenty of food, they re- 

 main with us. "Frequents 

 meadows and pastures. A curious 

 habit of this bird is that, while 

 it seems to seek the vicinity of 

 man in its choice of nesting- sites, 

 it will invariably desert its eg-g-s 

 if they once be discovered by a 

 human being, though it seems to 

 pav no attention to the passing 

 of cattle. Nests on the ground, 

 and are built and roofed over dry 

 grass, and lined with fine grass. 

 Eggs usually five, sometimes 

 six. Song may be heard from 

 early morning untill after dusk." 



(C. R. Ball.) "In V?.n Eurcn Co. 

 this species car almost be called a 

 resident, for they are occassionaly 

 seen in the winter, however it is 

 a common summer resident. On 

 May 12, 1894 found a- nest which 

 contained five fresh eggs. The 

 nest, was placed in an oat field, 

 a bunch of old cornstalks, which 

 formed an archway over the 

 nest."(W. G. Savage.) "The 

 nests are very diflicult to find. In 

 the museum at Ames there is an 

 albino specimen of this species." 

 (W. A. Bryan.) Two breeds 

 are sometimes raised in a season 

 for I have taken fresh eggs 

 May 5, and as late as July 10. 

 On May 10, 1892 I found a nest of 

 the Meadow Lark's which con- 

 tained four of its eggs and one of 

 the Bob White's. "Common 

 summer resident in Buena Vista 

 Co. Nests in the dry grass of 

 meadows and in bunches of old 

 hay. The nests are often roofed 

 over. The eggs reach six in 

 number. They arrive during 

 March. They love to sing from 

 high places and perched upon a 

 fence post or housetop wdll pour 

 forth a joyous strain at regular 

 intervals. They are gregarious 

 to some extent during the fall 

 migrations, leaving this locality 

 in October. Have seen this 

 species in midwinter and it is 

 possible that some belated indi- 

 viduals may reside with us."(Jno. 

 V. Crone.) 



