OF VIRGINIA 203 
flocks pass northward to their breeding grounds, while 
those remaining with us to breed commence household 
duties shortly. The nest is placed in the tall marsh grass, 
low bushes, or cat-tails in marsh, from one to six feet up. 
It is a well-woven affair of dry marsh grass and stems, 
lined with finer marsh grass. Three to five eggs is a full 
set, usually four in this section, the ground color a pale 
bluish-white, lined, blotched and clouded with black, 
brown, and purple. Size, 1.00x.70. During the early 
spring, and nesting period, the male’s song is most cheer- 
ful, while the bright scarlet on the wings make them easily 
distinguishable. Their food consists wholly of insect life 
and small seeds during the breeding season, such as cut 
worms, caterpillars, grubs, flies and small weed seeds, 
though they sometimes do some little damage to oats, 
wheat, and rye, just before it is ripe enough to cut. They 
do much damage, however, during the spring and winter 
months, when immense flocks of these birds, in company 
with the Cowbirds, Boat-tail, and Purple Grackles, descend 
upon a grain field and literally strip it if not driven away. 
I am inclined to think that the Redwing, alone, does more 
good than harm. 
GENUS STURNELLA. 
[501]. Sturnella magna magna (Linneus). 
Meadowlark. 
[Field Lark]. 
Rawner.—Eastern North America. Breeds in Transition 
and Upper Austral zones from eastern Minnesota, southern 
Ontario, southern Quebec, and New Brunswick south to 
