THK YOUNG OOLOGIST. 



41 



The Horned Lark. 



A few notes on tliis bird from Kansas 

 may be of interest to the i-eaders of tlie 

 Young Oologist. 



The Horned Lark is quite plentiful with 

 us during the winter months, together with 

 the Snow Bunting, visit tlie barn-yards in 

 diligent search for food. 



At times wlien the ground is covered 

 with Decern ber'.s white sheet they may be 

 .seen in flocks .searching the bare places for 

 food, all the titne stnaller flocks coming 

 from other places alight, while others are 

 flying on, uttering all the while a low twit- 

 tering. 



The Horned Lark is our first songster of 

 the spring, taking precedence even of the 

 Blue-bird ; from the top of some stake or 

 fence post they may be heard singing. 



Noticing that their number in the sum- 

 mer months are nothing to compare with 

 the great numbers seen at all times in the 

 winter, I, for the past season, have been 

 a little doubtful that but few remain here 

 in the summer season and that the greater 

 part go north to breed, I am now fully 

 convinced that but few remain here to 

 breed. 



The.y may Ije found on prairie lands, 

 where herds of cattle have lieeu pastured 

 and grazed the grass close to the ground. 

 As a rule they never are to be found where 

 the old grass is still standing, perhaps their 

 instincts teach them not to nest there for 

 fear it will get run over by prairie fires. 



Of the two nests that came under my 

 observation in the past two seasons, both 

 ■were on the south slope of a hill. 



One nest was found while riding along a 

 well traveled road (on one of the last days 

 of ..March). I noticed a Horned Lark busilj' 

 engaged in collecting nesting materials 

 which she found in the road. I turned my 

 horse at a safe distance, so as not to fright- 

 en the bird, and waited to see where she 

 was going with her load. I had not long 

 to wait till she was ready to fly to her 

 nest. I rode to the spot where I saw her 

 alight. The bird flew just before I reached 

 the place. The nest was ou the south side 



of a hill and ou the side of a grass tuft, 

 thus breaking the cold winds from the 

 north and getting the warmth of the sun 

 from the south. A hollow was scooped 

 close up to the tuft, two inches deep, well 

 hilled up around the edge of the cavity, to 

 prevent water from running in, ami lined 

 with fine gi'ass and horse hair. 



It being four miles from home, I did not 

 return till I thought it due time for the full 

 set. In a week I again visited the nest, 

 finding no eggs. I dismounted aud exam- 

 ined it, aud found small fragments of 

 shells and moisture at the bottom of the 

 nest. I have since thought that some 

 hungry dog devoured the eggs and left me 

 minus. 



G. F. Breunikger, 



Beattie, Kas. 



Homes of the Sand Martin and Toucan. 



Thinking that perhaps a few words 

 about birds and their homes might interest 

 the readers of the Yocng 05logist, 1 will 

 give the following sbort sketches : 



The Sand Martin, so common in Eng- 

 land, is an excellent example. Few would 

 suppo-^e that the tiny bill of this prulty lit- 

 tle bird was capable of boring tunnels into 

 sand stone. The Sand JIartin, however, 

 prefers an easy task, when that is possible, 

 and will always avail itsels a locality where 

 the soil is loose and yet where the sides of 

 the burrows will not collapse. Having 

 fixed upon a suitable spot, it commences 

 to work in a circular direction, using its 

 legs as a pivot, and by dint of turning 

 round and round, and pecking away as it 

 proceeds, soon chips out a tolerably circu- 

 lar hole. After the bird has lived for some 

 time in the tunnel, the shape of the en- 

 trance is much damaged by the incessant 

 passing to and fro of its inmates ; but, 

 while the burrow is still new and unten- 

 anted, its form is almost cylindrical. In all 

 cases the tunnel slopes gently upward, so 

 as to prevent the lodgment of rain. At the 

 farthest extremity of the burrow, which is 

 always rather larger than the sliaft. is 

 placed the nest, a very simple structure, 



