THE BHARAT AND IT8 KINDRED 161 



was near. Once or twice I waited as long 

 as half an hour to see the young fed, but in 

 vain. I was much amused by the extremely 

 sensible patient and methodical way in 

 which they faced the situation. They 

 simply retired to a little distance, taking 

 a plump maggot with them, squatted down 

 on a convenient ledge and waited. The 

 expiration of half an hour would find them 

 in the self-same position still treasuring- 

 the same maggot. On the 6th July, the 

 young Larks left the nest and in a 

 wonderfully short time they became 

 independent and learnt how to dig for a 

 breakfast". 



The Larks are birds of sober coloration. 

 This want of brilliance in their plumage 

 is explained if we remember that 

 Coloration they are dwellers of the open, 

 some even affecting deserts and 

 barren tracts. Nature has provided them 

 with a body-colour which serves the purpose 

 of a mantle of invisiblity. Some of the 

 Larks have to live in constant terror of 



11 



