PAJIILY VII. 
GA.RI If Ili.iger, 
GENUS VIII — STUJiWS, LiMXjifs, 
49 . STURXUS LVDOyiCIANUS, LINN ALAUDA SIAGNA, 
MEADOW LARK. 
WILSON, PLATE XIX. ITO. II. EDINBURGH COLLEGE ML'SEL'^'’ 
Though this well known species cannot boast of 
powers of son;? which disting'uish that “ harbinger 
day,” the sky lark of Europe, yet in richness of pliim8g'*| 
as well as in sweetness of voice, (as far as his few' not'’'' 
extend,) he stands eminently its superior. He diffrP 
from the greater part of his tribe in wanting the le"*; 
straight hind claw, w'hich is probablv the reason w'lO 
he has been classed, by some naturalists, w'ith 
starlings. But, in the iiarticular form of his bill, in 
manners, plumage, mode and place of bnildino- his m’Sh 
nature has clearly pointed out his projier family. 
This species hiLs a very extensive range: liavn’o 
myself found them in Upper Canada, and in eacJi o' 
the btates from New Hampshire to New Orleans. 
Bartram also informs me, that they are equally abu"' 
dant in East^Florida. Their favourite jilaces of retrco' 
are pasture fields and meadows, particularly the lattof’ 
which have conferred on them their specific naino' 
and no doubt supplies them abundantly with 
particular seeds and insects on which they feed. Th^.’ 
are rarely or never seen in the depth of the woodO' 
unless where, instead of underwood, the ground 
covered with rich grass, as in the Chactaw and CIiicl'‘‘[ 
saw countries, whore I met with them in considerah^ 
numbers in the months of May and June. The e.xto''' 
sive and luxuriant prairies between Vincennes and ** 
Louis also abound with them. i 
It is probable that, in the more rigorous region® ^ 
