500. TRICOLORED RED-WING. _Agelaius tricolor._

Range.--Pacific coast of California and Oregon; rare east of the Sierra
Nevadas.

This species differs from the Red-wing in having the shoulders a much
darker red and the median coverts white instead of buffy. Like the last
species they have a limited range and are nowhere as common as are the
Red-wings in the east. Their nests are like those of the Red-wings and
the eggs are not distinguishable in their many variations, but they
appear to be more often lined than those of the former.

501. MEADOWLARK. _Sturnella magna magna._

Range.--North America east of the Plains and north to Nova Scotia and
Manitoba; winters from New England southward.

This handsome dweller among our fields and meadows is frequently heard
giving his high, pleasing, flute-like whistle with its variations; his
beautiful yellow breast with its black crescent is not so frequently
seen in life, for they are usually quite shy birds. They artfully
conceal their nests on the ground among the tall grass of meadows,
arching them over with dead grass. During May or June they lay from four
to six white eggs, speckled over the whole surface with reddish brown
and purplish; size 1.10 x .80.

501a. Rio Grande Meadowlark. _Sturnella magna hoopesi._

Range.--A brighter and slightly smaller variety found along the Mexican
border.

[Illustration 319: Dull bluish white.]
[Illustration: Meadowlark.]
[Illustration: Dull bluish white.]
[Illustration: White.]
[Illustration: 500--501.1.]
[Illustration: right hand margin.]

Page 318

[Illustration 320: R. H. B. Beebe.
NEST AND EGGS OF MEADOWLARK.]

Page 319

501.1. WESTERN MEADOWLARK. _Sturnella neglecta._

Range.--North America west of the Mississippi and from Manitoba and
British Columbia southward, its range overlapping that of the eastern
Meadowlark in the Mississippi Valley, but the two varieties appear not
to intermingle. This variety is paler than the eastern, but the greatest
point of difference is in the songs, they being wholly unlike, and that
of the western bird much louder, sweeter and more varied than the simple
whistle of the eastern form. The nesting habits of both varieties are
the same and the eggs indistinguishable.

501c. SOUTHERN MEADOWLARK. _Sturnella magna argutula._

Range.--Florida and the Gulf coast.

A very similar bird to the northern form but slightly smaller and
darker. There is no difference between the eggs of th