Bill nearly as long as the head, moderately stout, or rather slender,
nearly straight, compressed toward the end; upper mandible with its
outline straight, slightly convex toward the tip, the ridge somewhat
flattened, the sides sloping and convex, the edges sharp and
overlapping, with a very slight or obsolete notch, close to the
depressed tip; lower mandible with the angle long and rather acute,
the crura rather broad and flat at the base, the dorsal line straight,
the edges sharp, the tip slender; gape-line ascending gently at the
base, then direct. Head ovate or oblong, flattened above; neck of
moderate length; body rather full. Feet moderately stout; tarsus
rather short, compressed, with seven anterior scutella; toes moderate,
or rather long, the first stouter, the lateral toes equal, the outer
adherent at the base. Claws rather long, moderately arched,
compressed, acute. Plumage rather compact. Wings of moderate length,
with the first quill very small, the third and fourth longest. Tail
short or of moderate length, rounded, and generally emarginate. Roof
of upper mandible with a median ridge; tongue slender, thin-edged,
with the tip slit and lacerated; œsophagus without dilatation;
stomach roundish, its muscular coat rather thin, the epithelium dense,
and longitudinally rugous; intestine of moderate length and width;
cœca very small, cylindrical; cloaca ovate or oblong. Trachea
simple, with four pairs of inferior laryngeal muscles. Nest on the
ground, or in cavities; eggs about five.
GENUS I. STURNELLA, Vieill. MEADOW-STARLING.
Bill rather long, almost straight, conico-subulate, depressed toward
the end; upper mandible with the ridge somewhat flattened, the edges
sharp and overlapping; the tip narrow, but rounded; lower mandible
with the outline straight, the ridge convex, the sides ascending; the
tip slightly rounded. Nostrils oval, with an arched membrane above.
Head of ordinary size, depressed; neck of moderate length; body rather
full. Feet of moderate length, strong; tarsus distinctly scutellate;
lateral toes nearly equal, hind toe stout. Claws arched, compressed,
acute, that of the hind toe large. Plumage rather compact. Upper
eyelid margined with strong bristles. Wings of moderate length, broad;
the second, third, and fourth quills longest; one of the inner
secondaries nearly as long when the wing is closed. Tail short, much
rounded, of twelve acute feathers.
223. 1. Sturnella Ludoviciana, Linn. Crescent Meadow-Starling.--Meadow
Lark.
Plate CXXXVI. Male and Female.
Upper parts variegated with dark brown, bay, and dull yellowish, the
latter bordering the feathers; those of the hind parts of the back
barred, as are the secondary quills and their coverts; primary quills
dark brown, margined, the outer with whitish, the rest with pale
yellowish; edge of the wing yellow; three outer tail-feathers white,
with a dash of black on the outer web near the end, the next feather
also more or less white, and barred on the outer web; on the upper
part of the head a central and two lateral bands of brownish-yellow,
the lateral hand sometimes white, anteriorly 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_, 11-2/12, 16-1/2.
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, Bonap. Syn.
Sturnus ludovicianus, Crescent Starlet, Swains. & Rich. F.
Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 282.
American Starling or Meadow Lark, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 147.
Meadow Lark or American Starling, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p.
216; v. v. p. 492.