314 PERCHERS AND SINGERS 
and fed, and sings joyously all winter long. This means that 
in a wild state this bird, like hundreds of other species, mi- 
grates southward in autumn because it cannot find food in 
winter in lands of snow and ice. 
Tue YELLOw-HrapEp BLACKBIRD! is a very conspicuous 
species throughout the West, from Indiana almost to the Pa- 
cific. Its entire head, neck and breast are of a dull-yellow 
color, but elsewhere it is wholly black, save a white patch on 
the wing. In Montana it is very common in summer. 
THe Merapow.ark? is one of the most trustful and 
sociable of our birds. As its name implies, it is partial to 
open grass-lands, and its favorite hunting-grounds are the 
bits of waste land in sloughs (called ‘“‘slews’’ in the West), 
that are full of low weeds. This bird does not like tall grass 
or weeds, for it is very curious to know all that is going on in 
the world about it. It is an indifferent flier—slow and short 
—and manifests a decided preference for the haunts of man. 
The Lark contributes much to the pleasures of life on a 
farm. Its bright-yellow breast and throat, with a jet-black 
neck-scarf, are as cheerful as an April sunburst. The long, 
conical beak, rather long legs and erect carriage of this bird 
give him an air of cheerful confidence which says to you, 
“Tm a good fellow, and you’re another!” His song is 
nothing to boast of, but he always pipes up cheerfully, and 
does the best he can. I always liked this bird, and count him 
as one of the dear friends of my boyhood. To me, his plu- 
mage is beautiful, especially when seen on a fresh, dewy morn- 
1 With an apology to the reader, it is stated that the Latin name of this bird 
is Xan-tho-ceph'a-lus xan-tho-ceph'a-lus; and its length is about 9 inches. 
2 Stur-nel'la mag’na. Length, about 10 inches. 
