The Birds of Wyoming. 115 



"In summing up the economic status of the Redwing the 

 principal point to attract attention is the small percentage of 

 grain in the year's food, seemingly so much at variance with 

 the complaints of the bird's destructive habits. Judged by the 

 contents of its stomach alone, the Redwing is most decidedly 

 a useful bird. The service rendered by the destruction of 

 noxious insects and weed seeds far outweighs the damage due 

 to its consumption of grain. The destruction that it some- 

 times causes must be attributed entirely to its great abundance 

 in some localities." 



McCarthy reports five specimens from the North Platte 

 river, 1859; Drexel reports them from Fort Bridger, 1858; 

 Hayden's report, 1870, reports them from Camp Stevenson 

 on Henry's Fork; Williston reports them from Lake Conio, 

 and Grinnell from the same place ; Aiken found them near 

 Sherman ; Bond has taken numerous specimens at Cheyenne ; 

 Jesurun reports them common at Douglas. I have noted these 

 birds from every county in the state. There are seven skins 

 in the University collection, all of which were taken in Al- 

 bany county. 



501 b. Sturnella magna neglecta (Aup.). 

 Western Meadowlark. 



Summer resident; common. One of the earliest of the 

 migratory birds to reach the state in the spring and the}' re- 

 main very late in the fall ; but no records of them remaining 

 during the coldest months. Found all over the state below ele- 

 vations of 8,000 feet. The following data concerning their oc- 

 currence in Wyoming has been collected : Taken at Fort 

 Bridger by Drexel, 1858; on Pole creek by Wood, 1857; Wil- 

 liston, common at Lake Como; Allen, plains of Wyoming, 

 1871 ; a dozen or more specimens reported by Coues ; Jesurun, 

 common at Douglas; Bond, common at Cheyenne. There are 

 four skins in the University collection that were taken in Al- 

 bany county. I have observed this bird in every county in the 



