316 USEFUL BIRDS. 



which in August make over twenty-three per cent, of their 

 food, and are found and eaten by them in nearly every month 

 of the year. A good many caterpillars are eaten, mainly 

 those species that are found on the ground, such as cutworms 

 and army worms ; but the birds flock to caterpillar outbreaks, 

 eating both hairy and hairless species. Crow Blackbirds de- 

 stroy both gipsy moth and brown-tail moth ; bugs, ants, and 

 spiders are eaten also. Mice, birds and eggs, frogs, lizards, 

 salamanders, snakes, fish, crustaceans, mollusks, and snails 

 form a portion of the Grackles' food. The vegetable food, 

 beside corn and other grains, consists of rather a small quan- 

 tity of fruit, mainly wild seeds, nuts, acorns, and weed seed. 

 Seventy per cent, of the food of the young birds consists 

 of insects similar to those eaten at the same season by their 

 parents. 



To sum up : the Crow Blackbirds, though destructive to 

 corn and to a less extent to other grain, are indispensable 

 because of the vast amount of insects they destroy. In the 

 west they are so numerous that the farmer often must defend 

 himself against them ; but in Massachusetts their destruc- 

 tion is not often necessary, and they are seldom shot by 

 husbandmen except when gathered in flocks among the corn. 



Meadowlark. Old-field Lark. Marsh Quail. 



Sturnella magna. 



Length. — Ten to eleven inches. 



Adult. — Upper parts brown, with many dark-streaked, pale-edged feathers; tail 

 short; outer tail feathers largely white; a light line through middle of 

 crown; a light line over eye, yellow from eye to bill, and dark streak 

 behind eye; below, chiefly yellow, with a large black crescent on breast. 



Adult in Winter. — Redder above ; lower parts duller. 



Young. — Under parts paler ; crescent replaced by a few black markings. 



Nest. — On the ground in a field ; usually arched over. 



Effffs. — White, with brown spots. 



Season. — Resident. 



This handsome and well-known bird is a common summer 

 resident of Massachusetts, and often remains all winter in 

 seasons when there is little snow, or in favored localities. 

 In the southeastern part of the State, especially in Barnsta- 

 ble County, it may usually be seen in winter in sheltered 

 situations on marshes or meadows. During and after snow- 



