File:A popular handbook of the ornithology of eastern North America (1896) (14750111872).jpg

Identifier: popularhandbook01nutt (find matches)
Title: A popular handbook of the ornithology of eastern North America
Year: 1896 (1890s)
Authors: Nuttall, Thomas, 1786-1859 Chamberlain, Montague, 1844-1924
Subjects: Birds -- North America
Publisher: Boston, Little, Brown, and Company
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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tance after food, yet a few, in Pennsylvania as well as inthis rigorous climate, may be seen in the market after theground is covered with snow. Wilson even observed themin the month of February, during a deep snow, among theheights of the Alleghanies, gleaning their scanty pittance onthe road, in company with the small Snow Birds. The flesh of our bird is white, and for size and delicacy it isconsidered little inferior to the Partridge ; but that of the Euro-pean species is black and bitter. The flight of these Larks is laborious and steady, like thatof the Quail, with the action of the wings renewed at short in-tervals. They often alight on trees, and select usually the mainbranches or topmost twigs on which to perch, though their foodis commonly collected from the ground. At various times ofthe day, and nearly through the winter, in the milder States,their very peculiar lisping, long, and rather melancholy note isheard at short intervals; and without the variations, which are pi.n.
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1 . Baltimore Oriole. 3 . Red-VNinged Blacktird 5. American Osprev. 2 . Meado^vlark. 4-. Bobolink. MEADOW LARK. 81 not inconsiderable, bears some resemblance to the slender sing-ing and affected pronunciation of et se dee ah, and pscdec etsdw,or tat sediiio in a slow, wiry, shrill tone, and sometimes differ-ently varied and shortened. The same simple ditty is repeatedin the spring, when they associate in pairs ; the female also, asshe rises or descends, at this time frequently gives a reiteratedguttural chirp, or hurried twitter, like that of the female Red-winged Blackbird. I have likewise at times heard them utternotes much more musical and vigorous, not very unlike the finetones of the Sky Lark : but I can by no means compare ourlisping songster with that blithe harbinger of day. Thereis a monotonous affectation in the song of our Lark whichappears indeed somewhat allied to the jingling, though notunpleasant, tune of the Starling. The Stare, moreover, had thefaculty of imitating hu

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