82 
SINGING BIRDS. 
pairing, in the latter end of the month of April, they have 
a call, like 'tship, tivee, the latter syllable in a fine and slender 
tone, — something again allied to the occasional notes of the 
Red-winged Blackbird, to which genus (^Icterus) our Sturnella 
is not very remotely allied. Towards the close of June little 
else is heard from the species but the noisy twitter of the 
female, preceded by a hoarse and sonorous 'fimp or 'j 'ip, ac- 
companied by an impatient raising and lowering of the wings, 
and, in short, all the unpleasant and petulant actions of a 
brood-hen, as she is now assiduously engaged in fostering 
and supporting her helpless and dependent offspring. 
Their food consists of the larvae of various insects, as well as 
worms, beetles, and grass-seeds, to assist the digestion of 
which they swallow a considerable portion of gravel. It does 
not appear that these birds add berries or fruits of any kind 
to their fare, like the Starling, but usually remain the whole 
summer in moist meadows, and in winter retire to the open 
grassy woods, having no inclination to rob the orchard or gar- 
den, and, except in winter, are of a shy, timid, and retiring 
disposition. 
In the East the Meadow Lark seldom ranges north of latitude 45°. 
I met with but one example in New Brunswick, and learn that it is 
rare near Montreal. It is common around Ottawa and throughout 
southern Ontario. 
Note. — A larger and paler form, named the Western Mead- 
ow Lark {S. magna neglccta), occurs in Wisconsin, Illinois, and 
Iowa; and Mr. W. E. D. Scott has lately announced that the birds 
found in southwestern Florida should be referred to mexicana, 
the Mexican Meadow Lark, which is the smallest of the three. 
A stray Starling {Sttirnus vulgaris) is said to have wandered 
from Europe to Greenland; and a ’Xwoxsvik'l {Icterus icterus), 2. 
South American bird, was taken by Audubon near Charleston, 
S. C. 
