1917] The Ottawa Naturalist. 145 



open ground for nesting purposes, it is not uncommon to find such 

 nests situated within a few feet of low trees or bushes upon which the 

 males sometimes perch while singing. 



The Prairie Horned Lark is the first of all migrants to return 

 from the south and in consequence its arrival is heralded as the first 

 harbinger of spring, a forerunner of the glories to come when animated 

 nature awakens once more from its long winter's sleep. Even 

 Manitobans admit that the winters, while invigorating, are, at times, 

 a trifle long, hence the reappearance of the horned larks is a welcome 

 one. They frequently return to us while the country is still under a 

 mantle of snow but we feel, nevertheless, that their northward move- 

 ments are impelled by Old Sol's persuasion and that it will not be 

 long before this is demonstrated. 



From an examination of records covering 20 years, we find that 

 the first spring arrival reaches us, on an average, about February 22. 

 At times they have been seen much earlier, at others, later. In autumn, 

 the last to leave averages November 16. There are winters when odd 

 individuals may be seen throughout the season, but these are 

 exceptions. 



The male horned larks, like so many other birds, arrive well 

 ahead of the females, and until the latter appear remain comparatively 

 quiet, contenting themselves with the daily search for food and with 

 uttering, from time to time, that cheery little song with which we are 

 all familiar. In -a little more than two weeks the females appear, alter- 

 ing in a moment the peaceful existence of their mates to be. Individual 

 combats are now of frequent occurrence and continue until both mates 

 and nesting sites have been won. The males now exercise all their 

 powers of song, rising high in the air during the day and at twilight 

 making the whole countryside resound with their characteristic songs. 

 In these efforts they continue as long as there is light and commence 

 again in the morning at the first indication of dawn. To us there are 

 few more cheerful songsters and as they frequently choose a singing 

 perch within a few feet of the house we have every opportunity to judge 

 of their merits. 



Nests are invariably sunk into the ground so that their upper edge 

 is little above its surface. At times some beautiful clump of anemonies 

 may hide the young from view, at others there is practically no shelter, 

 the birds apparently depending wholly upon their dull colours to hide 

 them from their enemies. We have found nests with eggs in them 

 about the middle of March and young birds able to fly on April 14. 

 How they manage to survive the snow storms and cold, not uncommon 

 at this time of year, is a mystery. That they do so there is no doubt. 

 As a rule, however, the percentage of young reared in the early season 

 is low and in the first brood one seldom meets with more than a single 

 fully developed nestling, though in later broods three or four are often 



