Title: Report on the birds of Pennsylvania : with special reference to the food habits, based on over four thousand stomach examinations
Identifier: commercialpoultr11 (find matches)
Year: 1890 (1890s)
Authors: Warren, Benjamin Harry, 1858-
Subjects: Birds
Publisher: Harrisburg : E. K. Meyers, State Printer
Contributing Library: Penn State University
Digitizing Sponsor: Lyrasis Members and Sloan Foundation

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
198 BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. head and line over eye and lower parts except the sides, and sides of breast, which are very similar to back, white, long tufts or "horns" black ; chin and tliroat yel- low ; very long hind claw ; middle tail feathers about same as back ; the rest black, the outer juiir with white outer webs. Habitat.—^OTiheai^tem North America, Greenland and northern parts of the Old World ; in winter south in the eastern United States to the Carolinas, Illinois, etc. The Horned Lark is a somewhat common winter resident in eastern Pennsylvania. It arrives in this re^-ion, from its northern breeding- grounds, early in November, and remains until about the last week in February. These birds, during their residence with us, are usually found in small parties of twelve or twenty, occasionally, however, flocks of a hundred or more are seen. The Horned Larks frequent fields, or other similar open situations, where seeds of different weeds and grasses are procurable. When deep snows cover their favorite feeding grounds, they oftentimes are observed in public roads throughout the country districts searching for food; they also at times, when driven by hunger, visit barnyards. According to Nuttali their food consists of various kinds of seeds which remain on the grass and weeds, and the eggs and dormant larva) of insects, when they fall in their way. In the stomachs of thirteen of these l)irds, taken in Chester and Delaware counties (Pa.), I found that eleven had fed on different kinds of small seeds; two, in addition to small seeds, had fed on grain (particles of com and oats). The Prairie Horned Lark (0. a. praticola, Hensh.,) is the common form in the region of Lake Erie, where it occurs as a regular summer resident. This last named geographical " race " or variety, is the bird which occurs throughout the western and central parts of the state. It is smaller and paler in color than the typical alpestris. The nest is built in a depression of the ground in a field, the eggs, said to be usually four in number, are described as a light-greenish or dull-g-reenish buff, spotted with different shades of brown. Note.—In the spring of 1852 Mr. John Gorgas, of Wilraingion, Dela- ware, liberated about fifty Skylarks (Alauda arvensis, Linn.), which he had imported from England, near the city of AVilmington. For a period of about two years these birds were seen at irre^lar intervals in the counties of Chester and Delaware,. Pa., but in the fall of 1854, I am in- formed by Mr. B. M. Everhart, of West Chester, they disappeared and have not since been seen. Family CORVIDiE. Grows, Jays, Etc. THE CROWDS AND JAYS. Five species of this family are found in Pennsylvania. The American Crow and Blue Jay are two of the best known species, both are common and are found with u.s during' all seasons. The Fish Crow occurs as a summer resident in a lew locali- ties in southeastern l^ennsylvania, chielly along the Delaware and Susquehanna rivers. The Raven, a resident in the wildest ot our mountainous regions, is, in some 4- f ) T Plate 48.
Text Appearing After Image:
Golden-crested Kinglet I Male; 2. Female. COLOR PLATE

Note About Images