USEFUL 15IRDS 
15 
MEADOW LARK. 
(IMate 2, Fi-. 14.) 
The Meadow Lark is common from the Atlantic to tlie (Ireat 
Llains, and a variety extends west of the Idains t(^ the Pacihc 
Coast. It is an inhal)itant of both prairie land and helds in dis- 
tricts more or less wooded, and while not a hue songster, in the 
opinion of many, adds much to oiir enjoyment of the country. 
The color of the upper parts is a mingling of black, whitish and 
chestnut, darker on the head, where we lind a light streak running, 
back from the bill ; side of head light, showing a yelloAv streak over 
and in front of eye ; chin, throat, and breast bright yellow, with a 
jet black collar or cravat on breast in form of a crescent ; all but the 
central tail feathers showing considerable white. Iwngth, ten to' 
eleven inches- It nests upon the ground. Analyses of stomach 
contents give interesting results: Two hundred and thirty-eight 
stomachs examined contained sevent)^-three per cent animal mat- 
ter, and twwnty-seven per cent vegetable, the latter being found in 
the winter. The animal food consisted of insects of ground species 
— beetles, bugs, grasshoppers, caterpillars, and a few flies, wxisps, 
and spiders. A number of the stomachs were taken from birds 
killed wdien the ground was largely covered with snow, but still 
contained a large percentage of insects. Crickets and grasshop])ers 
constitute twenty-nine ])er cent of the entire year's food, and sixty- 
nine per cent of the food in August. Twenty-one per cent of beetles 
was found, of which about one-third were predaceous ground 
beetles; the others all harmful species. In May caterpillars consti- 
tute over tweuty-eight ])er cent of the whoT food, with a large 
number of cutworms. Crain makes U]:» fourteen per cent, and w^eed 
and other seeds, twelve per cent. 
MARYLAND YELLOW THROAT. 
(Plate 3, Fig. 15.) 
This beautiful warbler is one of the most attractive of the fam- 
ily. It perha])s is not as useful as many others because of its some- 
what shy habits and the environment of its nest. It is, nevertheless, 
thoroughly insectivorous and as such, and because of its beauty, en- 
titled to our friendshi]). The male has a jet black band across 
forehead and over the cheeks ; remainder of upper parts and tail, 
olive green ; throat and chest, bright yellow. Nest frequently on 
the ground ; eggs, wdiite, speckled. Found throughout the Lbiited 
States east of the Great Iflains. WT have found it common in the 
