MEADOW LARK. 
175 
the north, they may be birds of passage, as they are 
partially so here ; though I have seen them among the 
meadows of New Jersey, and those that border the 
rivers Delaware and Schuylkill, in all seasons ,* even 
when the ground was deeply covered with snow. 
There is scarcely a market day in Philadelphia, from 
September to March, but they may be found in market. 
They are generally considered, for size and delicacy, 
little inferior to the quail, or what is here usually called 
the partridge, and valued accordingly. I once met with 
a few of these birds in the month of February, during 
a deep snow, among the heights of the Alleghany, 
between Shippensburgh and Somerset, gleaning on 
the road, in company with the small snow-birds. In 
the State of South Carolina and Georgia, at the same 
season of the year, they swarm among the rice planta- 
tions, running about the yards and out-houses, accom- 
panied by the killdeers, with little appearance of fear, 
as if quite domesticated. 
These birds, after the building season is over, collect 
in flocks ; but seldom fly in a close compact body ; 
their flight is something in the manner of the grouse 
and partridge, laborious and steady, sailing, and renew- 
ing the rapid action of the wings alternately. When 
they alight on trees or bushes, it is generally on the tops 
of the highest branches, whence they send forth a long, 
clear, and somewhat melancholy note, that, in sweetness 
and tenderness of expression, is not surpassed by any 
of our numerous warblers. This is sometimes followed 
by a kind of low, rapid chattering, the particular call 
of the female ; and again the clear and plaintive strain 
is repeated as before. They afford tolerably good 
amusement to the sportsman, being most easily shot 
while on the wing ; as they frequently squat among the 
long grass, and spring within gunshot. The nest of 
this species is built generally in, or below, a thick tuft, 
or tussock of grass ; it is composed of dry grass, and 
fine bent laid at bottom, and wound all around, leaving 
an arched entrance level with the ground ; the inside 
is lined with fine stalks of the same materials, disposed 
