BIRDS OF THE SEASON 13 



the colours, seen as he runs persistently along the 

 ground in front of an intruder, are uniformly dull and 

 grey* He is lighter on the breast, with pale yellow 

 and black toward the neck, and the small projecting 

 points of feathers over his eyes have given him his 

 name* The black tail is a conspicuous mark of 

 identification for both males and females* The 

 Horned Lark nests on the ground, sometimes even 

 choosing a sheltered spot on the roadside* In spite 

 of this open confidence, and his apparent indifference, 

 at a respectful distance, he does not become, like the 

 Bluebird, tolerant of familiarity on longer acquaint- 

 ance* His suspicions can never be set at rest, and 

 when he runs ahead along the ground no seductive 

 coaxing can induce him to permit a nearer approach* 

 But he calls so early in the spring and attends so 

 willingly to his own affairs that he can be forgiven 

 for even the deplorable offence of suspicion. 



