462 LIFE HISTORIES OF NOBTII AMEEIOAN BIEDS. 



Matainoras, Mexico, and I believe another good subspecies exists in southern 

 Texas which still remains to be described, and is not readily referable to either 

 Stwrnella magna or any of its recognized subspecies. 



The Mexican Meadowlark was first added to our fauna by Dr. James C. 

 Merrill, United States Army, who took specimens near Fort Brown, Texas, 

 on August 21 and September 13, 1877. It appears to be only a summer visitor 

 there, and was abundant from April to October. Its notes and habits do not 

 seem to differ essentially from those of Stwrnella magna. 



Mr. F. Stephens also took both male and female of this subspecies near 

 old Camp Crittenden, in Sonoita Valley, Arizona, on July 22 and 24, 1884, 

 thus extending its range considerably westward, and showing that it overlaps 

 that of the Western Meadowlark. Mr. Stephens writes: "I do not recall any- 

 thing peculiar in their habits, and think I did not hear their song." 



It is reported a common resident in Costa Rica, which appears to mark the 

 southern boundary of its range in Central America. 



A set of four eggs in the Ralph collection, taken near Fort Brown, Texas, May 

 3, 1892, is probably referable to this subspecies. They resemble the eggs of 

 the common Meadowlark in coloration and markings, being short ovate in 

 shape, and considerably smaller. 



They measure 25.91 by 20.32, 25.65 by 20.57, 25.40 by 21.34, and 25.15 

 by 20.32 millimetres; or 1.02 by 0.80, 1.01 by 0.81, 1 by 0.84, and 0.99 by 

 0.80 inches. 



The type specimen, No. 25733 (PL 6, Fig. 22), belongs to this set. The 

 nest was found on a prairie, concealed by a bunch of grass, and was composed 

 of dry grass. The eggs Avere fresh. 



181. Sturnella magna neglecta (Audubon). 



WESTERN MEADOWLARK. 



Sturnella neglecta Audubon, Birds of Amei-ica, VII, 1843, 339, PI. 487. 

 Sturnella magna var. neglecta Allen, Bulletin Museum of Comparative Zoology, III, No. 2, 

 July, 1S72, 178. 



(B 407, 214a, E 264, O 322, U 5016.) 



Geographical range : Western North America, north to southern British Colum- 

 bia, southern Alberta, southwestern Saskatchewan, and western Manitoba, Dominion of 

 Canada; east regularly to North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, western Indian 

 Territory, and western Texas; irregularly or less regularly to Minnesota and Iowa, 

 sparingly to Wisconsin and Illinois; south to Lower California and northern Mexico. 



The breeding range of the Western Meadowlark, a somewhat paler and 

 grayer bird than Sturnella magna, is coextensive with its distribution in the 

 United States, excepting the lower Rio Grande Valley, in Texas, where it is 

 replaced by the Mexican Meadowlark. Along the eastern border of its range 

 in some localities it overlaps that of Sturnella magna for considerable distances, 

 but does not appear to interbreed with it. The greatest difference between these 



