CORVINE. 
149 
riorly tinged with yellow ; sides of the head and neck greyish -white^ 
flanks and lower tail-coverts reddish- white, streaked with black ; fore 
neck and breast rich yellow, the former with a large crescent of black. 
Female smaller, but otherwise similar. 
Male, 16^. 
Breeds from Texas to the Columbia River, and along the Atlantic 
coast to Nova Scotia and the Fur Countries. Resident in the Southern 
and Western States. Abundant. 
Meadow Lark, Alauda magna, WiLS. Amer. Orn. v. iii. p. 20. 
Sturnus ludovicianus, Bo nap. Syn. 
Stumus ludovicianus, Crescent Starlet, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. 
p. 282 . 
American Starling or Meadow Lark, Ndtt. Man. v. i. p. 147. 
Meadow Lark or American Starling, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 216 ; v. v. p. 492. 
FAMILY XVIII. CORVINE. CROWS. 
Bill about the length of the head, robust, nearly straight, 
compressed ; upper mandible with the dorsal line more or 
less arched, its tip slightly deflected, the edges sharp, with 
a slight notch or sinus. Nostrils basal, roundish, concealed 
by reversed slender stiff feathers. Head rather large, ovate ; 
neck of moderate length, body compact. Feet of ordinary 
length, rather stout ; tarsus compressed, with about eight 
large scutella ; toes four, first stronger, but about the same 
length as the second and fourth, which latter is adherent at 
the base. Claws rather large, arched, compressed, acute. 
Plumage various ; wings long or of moderate length, much 
rounded, the first quill about half the length of the fourth 
or fifth, which are longest ; tail of twelve broad feathers. 
Upper mandible concave, with several longitudinal ridges ; 
tongue oblong, flat above, horny, thin edged, with the tip 
slit and lacerated ; oesophagus of moderate width, without 
dilatation ; proventriculus bulbiform ; stomach, a gizzard of 
moderate power, with a rugous dense epithelium ; intestine 
of moderate length and width ; coeca small, cylindrical, ad- 
nate. Trachea with four pairs of inferior laryngeal muscles. 
Nest in high places, or in cavities, rudely constructed ; eggs 
from four to six, ovate or oblong. 
