A MORNING WITH MEADOWLARKS 19 



once followed by the full song from one of the fence-row 

 perches ; those two were the only times when he uttered a 

 note near the nest. 



The birds dropped down to the nest from above, and al- 

 ways departed toward the east. They came and went free- 

 ly, without hesitation, and were evidently acting in a whol- 

 ly natural manner. Still, they were never off guard, but 

 were keen and alert, as though living in the enemy's coun- 

 try. A gentle snap of the fingers was sufficient to alarm 

 them, and the male started nervously at an insignificant 

 noise made near my house, two hundred yards away. 



It was deemed unwise to remove much of the grass con- 

 cealing the nest, and the pictures do not, therefore, show 

 the young. The following day they had gone. The male 

 continued to sing until early August, and I imagine that a 

 second brood was reared. 



