220 MEADOW LARK. 



In confinement, this bird has another fault, of which I was not aware 

 until my last visit to Charleston. In February 1834, Dr Samuel Wil- 

 so>f of that city told me that one of the Meadow Larks which he had 

 purchased in the market, with a number of other birds, ten days previ- 

 ously, had been found feeding on the body of a Bay- winged Bunting, 

 ■which it had either killed, or found dead in the aviary. He said he had 

 watched the bird more than twenty minutes, and plainly saw that it 

 plunged its bill into the flesh of the finch to its eyes, and appeared to open 

 and close it alternately, as if sucking the juices of the flesh. Two days 

 afterwards, the same Meadow Lark actually killed two other finches that 

 had their wings clipped, and ate them. 



During the latter part of autumn, as well as in winter, this species 

 affords a good deal of sport, especially to young gunners, some of whom 

 speak highly of its flesh. This may be true respecting the young, but 

 the yellow oily appearance of the flesh of the old ones, its toughness, and 

 the strong smell of insects which it emits, prevent it from being an agree- 

 able article of food. They are nevertheless offered for sale in almost all 

 our markets. 



In the winter months, this bird frequently associates with the Carolina 

 Dove, several species of Grakle, and even Partridges, is fond of spending 

 its time in corn fields after the grain has been gathered, and often makes 

 its appearance in the cattle-yard of the planters. In Virginia, it is called 

 the " Old-field Lark." 



While on the ground, the Meadow Lark walks well, and much in the 

 manner of the Grakle and the European Starling, to which it is in some 

 measure allied. When on the wing, they seldom fly close enough to allow 

 more than one to be shot at a time. When wounded, they run off" with 

 alacrity, and hide with great care, so as to be found with difficulty. They 

 alight with equal readiness on trees, on the branches of which they walk 

 with ease, on fences, and even at times on out-houses. Their food con- 

 sists of grass seeds, and grains of almost every sort, along with all kinds 

 of insects and berries. Although gregarious, they seldom move close to- 

 gether while on the ground, and, on the report of a gun, you may see 

 perhaps a hundred of them rise on the wing from different parts of a field. 

 They are never found in close woods. During winter, the open western 

 prairies abound with them, and in every corn-field in the State of Ken- 

 tucky, you are sure to find them in company with partridges and doves. 

 They now and then resort to roads, for the purpose of dusting themselves, 

 and move along the edge of the water in order to bathe. 



