176 NOHTII AMKiaCAX BIKDa 



Iiini frnin tlie earth's surfaic. Aftor Iiaviiig travclltMl in (piest of tliom, to 

 no purpose, to many distant ]>arts of the prairies, he at last diseovereil tliat 



these sounds proeee<led from seveml 

 . of these l)irds soaring at so «/reat an 

 ( levation as to make them dittieuU to 

 tliseowr by the eye, even in the tmns- 

 parent atmosi)here o^ tliat eountry. 



They are described as runninj; ixia^^e- 

 fully on the <iround, • t times sipiat- 

 ting to observe the nu>vement5 of the 

 intruders, and a^ain elevating their 

 yroror,,s spra^uei. hoiVw^^ as if to uicet their approach. 



Iiising from the ground, they tly in an umbdatinu manner, so that it is 

 extremely ditlicult to she,»t them on tlie win.Lr. They continue thus to fly 

 in increasing circles until about a hundred yards high, when they begin to 

 sing. After a while, suddenly closing their wings, they drop to the ground. 

 Tliey could be easily ap]»roached in a light wagon, and in this manner 

 several specimens were obtained. 



Captain Blakiston (litis, V. ill) found this Skylark common on the prairies 

 of the Saskatcliewan during the breed ing-sc'as(»n. He first met with it on 

 the 6th of May, near Fort Carlton. AVhen disturbed from the grass, its 

 usual haunt, it utters a single chirp, and innnediately mounts in the air by 

 a circuitous course, with a very undulating flight, to a great height, where 

 with outstretched wings it soars in a peculiar manner, and utters a very 

 striking song. This is descrilted as consisting of a (piick succession of 

 notes, in a descen«ling scale, each note being lower than the preceding. The 

 bird then descends to the ground with great rapidity, almost like a stone, 

 and somewhat in the manner of a hawk swooj)ing on its prey. It was 

 difficult of approach, and not easily kilknl. He also observed these birds in 

 Northern Minnesota, May 4, LS.")!). 



A nest of this bird was built on the ground and jdaced in a hollow. It 

 was made of fine grasses interwoven into a circular form, but without any 

 lining. The eggs were four or live in nund)er, an ol)long oval in shape, much 

 pointed at one end, and measuring .87 of an inch in length by .63 in breadth. 

 Their ground-color was a dull white, so minutely dotte<l with a grayish- 

 purj)le as to give the wlude v^^g a homogeneous appearance, as of that 

 uniform color. 



The young larks, soon after being hatched, followed their parents on the 

 ground, and were fed with seeds of the smaller plants and with insects. 

 Tliev had already l)egun to associate in small flocks of from eijjrht to a dozen 

 before the party left, and on the 10th of August had connnenced their 

 southern migrations. 



