132 BIRDS OF OHIO. 
have gone south by the last of October, but a few remain 
well toward December, especially in the southern counties. 
180. (498a.) AGELAIUS PHGENICEUS FoRTIS Ridgway. 
Thick-billed Red-wing. 
There is a specimen in the Oberlin College collection 
which seems clearly to belong to this new race. It was 
taken October 25, 1890, by C. A. Kofoid, at Oberlin. Ap- 
parently this form should be found among the early spring 
and late autumn Red-wings. The form has been so recently 
elaborated that it has not been possible to examine specimens 
in the different collections. 
181. (501.) StrurNELLA MAGNA (Linn.). 118. 
Meadowlark. 
Synonyms: Sturnus ludovicianus, Sturnella ludoviciana, Alauda 
magna. 
Fieldlark, Old Fieldlark, Meadow Starling, Marsh Quail. 
Kirtland, Ohio Geol. Surv., 1838, 162. 
Like the Crow, Meadowlark may remain in small num- 
bers in the northern part of the state all winter. Long con- 
tinued cold, and particularly snow, will usually drive all 
south, or into some region not covered by snow. Inthe 
southern counties, decreasingly northward, it is a regular 
winter resident. No doubt the present condition of the 
Meadowlark is due to the clearing away of the forests, but 
unlike the Bobolink, it does not require so extensive fields 
and therefore probably found natural clearings in the for- 
ests possible breeding grounds before the appearance of the 
white settlers. Ifso his numbers were far less than now. 
There should be no note of condemnation for this bird. 
His services in the meadow and fields cannot be estimated 
in values. Even during the winter insects comprise a large 
proportion of his food, while practically no grain that could 
be saved is eaten at any time. To say that 73 per cent. of 
the whole amount eaten is insects, a large part of which eat 
grains, is telling but half of the story. Being a ground 
haunter, the insects destroyed are such as the other birds 
