190 STUENELLA MAGNA, MEADOW-LARK. 



spotted all over with several shades of reddish-brown, sometimes so 

 thickly, especially at the larger end, as to hide the ground-color. This 

 speckling instead of streaking, is more like that of the eggs of the 

 Scoleeopha<)i than of the Agelai. During incubation the males appear 

 to desert their mates, as Ls certainly the case with the Boat-tailed 

 Grackle. I have found the birds nesting in June, in New Mexico, and 

 during the same month in Xorthern Dakota. 



At other seasons these Blackbirds are very generally dispersed. They 

 gather about stock-yards and corrals, come into the emigxants' camp at 

 evening, and ramble fearlessly among the auimals in search of food, often 

 in company with flocks of Cow-birds. They are eminently terrestrial 

 birds, as indicated by their long, strong legs, and large ra.soiial claws, 

 and always walk or run, instead of hopping on the ground. They retire 

 in cold weather from the northerly portions of their habitat. 



STUENELLA MAGNA, (Linn.) Bd. " " 

 Meadow-lark ; Eield-lark. 



a. magna. 



Alauda magna, Linn., Syst. Nat. i, 1758, 167 (ex. Catesby, pi. 33) ; 1766, 289. — Gm., iUd. 

 ed. 13th, 1788, 801.— WiLS., Am. Orn. iii, 1811, 20, pi. 19. 



Sturudla magna, Bd., B. N. A. 1858, 53,'j; aud of many late authors. — Hayd., Eep. 1862. 

 169 (to 43°).— Allen, Mem. Best. Soc. i, 1868, 496.— Thippe, Pr. Bost. 8cc. xi, 

 1672, 239 (Iowa).— Hart., Brit. B. 1872. 118 (Ens^land).— CouES, Kcv, 1872, 

 1.57, fig. 99, and pi. 6, figs. 1, 2, 3, 4.— B. 13. & E., N. A.B. ii, 1874, 174, pl.'34. f. 2. 



Stimms ludorkianus, Lixx., Syst. Nat. i, 1766, 290.— Gm., i, 17H8, 802. — Latii., Ind. Orn. 

 i, 1790, 323.— Bp., Journ. Phila. Acad, iv, 1824, 180 ; Syn. 1828.— Nutt., Man. i, 

 1832, 147.— Ald., Oru. Biog. ii, 1834, 216; v, 18.39, 492; pi. 136. 



SiurneUa hidoviclana, a-x ., F. B. A. ii, 1831, 262.— Bp., List, 1838, 29; Consp. i, 1850, 

 429.— Aui)., Syn. 1839, 148; B, Am. iv, 1842, 70, pi. 223.— Cab., Mub. Hein. i, 

 1851, 192.— Allen, Bull. M. C. Z. ii, 1871, 288. 



Slurnella collaris, Vieill. Anal. 1816 ; Gal. Ois. i, 1824, 134, pi. 90. 



Shrnus collaris, Wagl., Syst. Av. i, 1827, No. 1; Isis, 1831, 527. 



Cadcus alaudarius, Dacd., (fide Cahanis). 



b. neglecta. 



Sturnella neglecta, AuD., B. Am. vii, 1843, 339, pi. 487.— WoODH., Sitgr. Eep. 18.53, 76.— 

 Kewb., p. E. E. Eep. vi, 1857, 86.— Bd., B. N. A. 1858, 537.— Kexx., P. E. R. 

 Eep. X, 1859, pt. iv, 31.— Heekm., iiid. pt. vi, 54.— Coop. & SuoK., N. H. Wasl. 

 Ter. 1860, 208.— Hayd., Eep. 1862, 109.— Dress., Ibis, 1865, 492 (Tcxas).- 

 Cass., Pr. Phila. Acad. 1866, 23.— Coues, Pr. Phila. Acad. 1866, 91.— Coop., B. 

 Cal. i, 1879, 270.— Hold., Pr. Bost. Soc. 1872, 203 — Trippe, Pr. Bost. Soc. 1872, 

 239 (Iowa, -with the preceding).— Stev., U. S. Geol. Surv. Ter. 1870, 465.— 

 Merr., ibid. 1872, 687.— S.xow, B. Kans. 1873, 8. 



Sturudla Indoviciana var. neglecta, Allen, Bull. M. C. Z. iii, 1872, 178. 



Sturnella magna var. neglecta, Coues, Key, 1872, 1.57.— B. B. & E., N. A. B. ii, 1874, pi. 

 34, f. 1. 



" (?) Sturnella Mpxmcrepis, Heerm., Journ. Phila. Acad, ii, 1853, 269 (Suisun)." 



c. Mppocrepis. 



(Cuba.) 



Sturnella Mjrpocrepia, Wagl., Isis, 1832, 281.— Lawr., Ann. Lye. vii, 1860, 266. — SCL., 



Ibis, 1861, 179; Cat. 1862, 139 (Cuba).— Cass., Pr. Phila. Acad. 1866, 24. 

 Sturnella magna var. liippocry>is, B. B. & E., N. A. B. ii, 1874, 172. 



d. mexicana. 



(Mexico and Central America.) 



(?) Sturnella magna, Sw., Syn. Mex. B. Philos. Mag. i, 1827, 436 (Mexico). 



Sturnella luppocrepis, SCL., P. Z. S. 1856, 30, 301 ; 1859, 58, 365, 381 ; Cat. 1862, 139.— 



SCL. &, Salv., Ibis, i, 1859, 19 ; 1860, 34. 

 Sturnella mexicana, ScL., Ibis, iii, 1861, 179. — Lawr., Ann. Lye. iii, 1865, 177 (New 



Granada).— Cass., Pr. Phila. Acad. 1866, 24. 

 Sturnella magna var. mexicana, B. B. & E., N. A. B. ii, 1874, 172. 



Digitized by IVIicrosoft® 



