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. FAMILY XVIII. CORVINÆ. 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; œsophagus of moderate width, without dilatation; proventriculus bulbiform; stomach, a gizzard of moderate power, with a rugous dense epithelium; intestine of moderate length and width; cœca small, cylindrical, adnate. 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. GENUS I. CORVUS, Linn. CROW.