Todays random 'tweeterland' birding trivia question (answer at end of post):
Q: Why was the Western Meadowlark given the specific name 'neglecta'?
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Well... just getting around to finally taking on that BIG fruit box of 'snail'
mail accumulated since... oh ...um since last July, and in that mess what do I
find but my National Audubon Society renewal notice with 'new' membership
card. This is no ordinary membership card. I have the distinct honor of
having my membership now good through April 12000. That comes to $0.004 per
year! Y2K? No worries. Y12K? Dear NAS, please send me a reminder sometime
in late 11999; my long term memory isn't very good.
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Q: Why was the Western Meadowlark given the specific name 'neglecta'?
A: The name was given by Audubon because the bird was "overlooked" by members
of the Lewis and Clark expedition.
--Todd, F.S. 1994. 10,001 Titillating Tidbits of Avian Trivia [3740]

Richard Rowlett (Pterodroma at aol.com)
47.56N, 122.13W
(Seattle/Bellevue, WA, USA)