165 



vance of April 1. They were reported from Linwood, Nebr., March 31 j 

 Grand View, Dak , April 10; Huron, Dak., April 12; Two Rivers, Man- 

 itoba, April 16; and Oak Point, Manitoba, April 18. 



In the fall of 1885 the last was reported from Green Bay, Wis., Sep- 

 tember 23; Iowa City, Iowa, October 15; Fayette, Mo., October 20; 

 and Mount Carmel, Mo., November 15. Stragglers were seen at Grin- 

 nell, Iowa, as late as November 21, and at Lanesboro, Minn., Novem- 

 ber 4. At Saint Louis, Mo., several large flocks were seen October 5 ; 

 the height of migration was reached October 11, and many flocks went 

 south November 8 and 12. 



The breeding habits of the Red-wings are w T ell known. They remain 

 to nest in favorable localities throughout Missouri and eastern Kansas. 

 Probably not a few breed in Indian Territory. At Saint Louis males 

 and females were together at breeding stands April 30 (1881), and the 

 last flock of females passed northward May 11. 



501. Sturnella magna (Linn.). [263.] Meadowlarh. 



The eastern Meadow lark is a common and well known bird from the 

 Mississippi eastward; west of the Mississippi it is found with the 

 western Meadow-lark (8. neglecta) as far as the edge of the Plains, be- 

 yond which it is almost entirely replaced by that species. In south- 

 eastern Dakota Dr. Agersborg says the eastern form does not occur; 

 in Kansas it is common in the vicinity of Lawrence and Topeka; but 

 at Manhattan, 50 miles farther west, it is almost replaced by 8. neglecta. 



The winter quarters of the eastern Meadowlark do not seem to be 

 well defined. Apparently it is abundant in the lower valley of the Mis- 

 sissippi, wherever there are suitable meadows sheltered from the ex- 

 treme cold; but it seldom winters here so far north as it does in the 

 Atlantic region. In going westward from the shelter of timber-belts it 

 seems to retire farther southward. Thus, in Illinois it is common in 

 sheltered localities as far north as latitude 40°, while farther west, on 

 the Plains, except in favorable seasons, it retires farther southward, 

 being rare north of latitude 38° in Kansas and Missouri. It is com- 

 mon in winter near Fort Brown, in the valley of the Lower Rio Grande 

 (Merrill). In 1884 sixty-two observers in the Mississippi Valley sent 

 notes concerning this bird. At Eagle Pass, Tex., on the Rio Grande, 

 it was reported as plentiful all winter. At San Angelo, Tex., it was 

 reported as resident and abundant in winter. The Nueces Canon is 

 the winter home of countless myriads. At Mermenton, La., near the 

 Gulf coast, they are resident and much more abundant in winter 

 than in summer. At Caddo, Ind. Ter., they are resident, but not so com- 

 mon as 8. neglecta. At Darlington, Ind. Ter., some remained throughout 

 the winter of 1883-'S4. At Linwood, Nebr., one was seen February 16. 

 It may have remained there all winter or have been an adventurous 

 scout of the army that moved from winter quarters in Texas about this 

 time. At Odin, 111., they were common February 2, in small flocks. 

 At Danville, 111., they were reported as resident. 



