Plate XXXVIII. 



STURNELLA M/\GNA-Meadow Lark. 



Meadow Larks remain in Central and Soutliern Ohio throughout the winter, but are not so abundant 

 at this season as during the summer. In the winter of '79 and '80, which was noted for its severity, the 

 mercury frequently being many degrees below 0"^ F., I several times flushed Larks from the snow-covered 

 fields, where they had alighted and remained motionless, or were snowed in, as no tracks could be found. 



It is probable that these winter residents breed here instead of going farther north as is the custom 

 with some species, the individuals being only apparently resident during the year. 



The nest is sometimes built very early in April, and soon after the eggs are deposited; but the usual 

 time for nesting is the last week in April or the first week in May. Very often two broods are hatched. 



LOCALITY: 



The nest is placed in any open field of grass or small grain. Fields of wheat, timothy, and clover 

 are the most frequently selected. Sometimes it is built in the tall grass along a fence, or in an orchard; 

 and sometimes it is in a clump of grass in a piece of very open woods. Occasionally the nest is near 

 a country dwelling, but, as a rule, it is a considerable distance from any house, and is rarely, if ever, 

 built in town. 



PGSITIOI^r : 



Usually the nest rests in a slight hollow in the ground, found among the growing wheat or grass, 

 with no particular effort at concealment ; but sometimes it is Avell hidden by a tussock, clump of weeds, 

 or a small bush. The bottom of the cavity is generally about on a level with the surrounding surface. 



MATERIALS : 



Grasses and straws are the chief materials of construction. Occasionally pieces of slender weed-stems 

 and strips of weed-bark are used. The grasses are generally long blades of blue-grass or timothy. The 

 structure is well interwoven, and is the same within as without, except that the cavity exposes a little 

 better quality of material than the exterior. The majority of nests are more or less perfectly domed, or, in 

 other words, the entrance is at the side, the cavity being roofed. Sometimes a walk leads through thick 

 veo-etation to the doorway. The cavity in the domed or roofed nest is nearly semi-spherical, and measures 

 about three and one-half inches. In open nests its diameter is about the same. The Avails vary in thick- 

 ness from three-fourths to two inches in different nests, and even in different parts of the same nest, 



EGGS: 



Four or five eggs constitute the complement. The ground-color is white, very faintly tinted at times 

 with o-reenish-o-ray. They are marked with blotches, spots, and speckles of light yellowish- or pinkish- 

 brown distributed over the entire shell, but most abundant about the base, where sometimes they are 



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