Earliest Signs of Spring 



name goes, trades on the reputation of that 

 trans-Atlantic genius, the European starling. 

 The American group of the same name, 

 numbering twenty-seven species, among them 

 the oriole, the bobolinlc, meadow lark, red- 

 winged blackbird, and grackle, although not 

 blest with any name of genius, includes two 

 superior and favorite vocalists — the Balti- 

 more oriole and the bobolink, whereas many 

 of the species do not deserve to be called 

 singers. 



The meadow larks have a penchant for open 

 fields, where they are to be found, in smaller or 

 larger flocks, all day long ; but they are inor- 

 dinately shy, and commonly take to the wing 

 the instant they are approached. Their clearly 

 whistled song of three or four notes, which 

 seems peculiarly suggestive of the freshness and 

 openness of spring, often betrays their invisible 

 presence in the grass or grain field; and at 

 other times they may be seen walking about 

 over the ground, which is also their usual 

 place of nesting. When on the wing, their 

 identification is easy, both from the large 

 amount of white on the outer tail - feathers, 

 and from two peculiarities of flight, viz., the 

 particularly straight course they take, and the 

 275 



