50 BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES, ETC. 



in the young. The streaked females require closer scrutiny. 

 L. pi. 



Range. Eastern North America, nests from Florida to Canada; 

 winters from Maryland southward, sometimes farther north. 

 The Florida Red-wing (A. p. floridanus. Case 4, Figs. 28, 29) is 

 smaller and with a slenderer bill. It inhabits Florida (except 

 the southeast coast and Keys) and ranges west along the Gulf 

 coast to Texas. The Bahama Red-wing (A. p. bahamensis) is 

 still smaller. It is resident in southeastern Florida, the Keys 

 and Bahamas. 



Washington, common P. R., abundant in migration. Ossin- 

 ing, common S. R., Feb. 25-Nov. 11. Cambridge, abundant 

 S. R.,|Mch. 10-Aug. 30; a few winter. N. Ohio, abundant S. R., 

 Mch. i-Nov. 15. Glen Ellyn, common S. R., Mch. 5-Nov. 19. 

 SE. Minn., common S. R., Mch. 8-Nov. 14. 



The Red-wing's mellow kong-quer-reee is as certain an 

 indication of the presence of water as is the piping of frog3 

 in the spring. It may be only a bit of boggy marshland, 

 it may be a reedy lakeside, but water there will surely be. 

 On a frequented perch he half spreads his wings, fluffs 

 out his scarlet epaulets, bursting into bloom, as it were, 

 when he utters his notes — a singing flower! The nest 

 is in the alders, button-bushes, or reeds, or even on the 

 ground, and although the birds come in March, their 

 pale blue, spotted, blotched, and scrawled eggs are not 

 laid until May. Except when nesting, Red-wings live in 

 flocks. 



% MEADOWLARK 

 Sturnella magna magna. Case », Fig. 23 



A large, quail-like bird which shows white outer tail-feathers 

 when it flies; if one can obtain a front view, the yellow under- 

 parts and black breast-crescent are conspicuous. L. loj. 



Range. Eastern North America, rare west of the Mississippi; 

 nesting from North Carolina and Missouri to Canada; winters 

 from southern New England and northern Ohio southward. 

 The Southern Meadowlark (5. m. argutula, Case, 4, Fig. 79) is 

 smaller and darker. It is resident in the south Atlantic and 

 Gulf States. 



Washington, common P. R., less common in winter. Ossining, 

 tolerably common S. R., Feb. 20-Nov. 27; a few winter. Cam- 

 bridge, common S. R., not common W. V. N. Ohio, abundant 



