So JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS, 



obtain a part of their food supply from the ejectae and half- 

 digested seeds found on the highways and in fields frequented 

 by farm animals. 



To these larks the chill breezes and dull skies of Feb- 

 ruary and March seem to present few terrors, and the species 

 must be nearly as hardy in constitution as the Arctic snow- 

 bunting and as resourceful as the bluejay or bearded tit 

 (chicadee). The notes of the prairie lark, though feeble, are 

 enlivening and somewhat larklike, and are poured forth re- 

 raittently on the outbursts of feeble sunshine on raw March 

 days or in declining afternoon. Their advent to these parts 

 first began to be noticed and talked about 36 or 37 years aeo, 

 when, through great progress in land clearing, the numbers 

 of cattle and acreage of grass lands had much increased. 

 These tufted larks have not been noticed about here since 

 about the beginning of October last (1897), but they usually 

 slay after breeding their young in April, their nests contain- 

 ing callow young have (it is credibly affirmed) been found 

 about here even during last week in March, whilst remains 

 of large snowdrifts still lingered about fence corners and m 

 such grass fields as the nests were found in. But May is the 

 month they usually breed in, though nests containing eggs 

 have also been reported of in the month of June. 



These birds are at any rate a welcome addition to the 

 list of our feathered visitants and are clearly lovers of an open 

 country, and have no arboreal proclivities, but seem contented 

 with such shelter and food as is afforded by grassy hum- 

 mocks and weedy leas. 



A few of the non-migrating species of birds show an in- 

 clination to live on friendly terms with man. This trait is 

 noticeable in the chicadee, small parties of which come regu- 

 larly to the wood-choppers' shanty at dinner-time, and if not 

 repelled by unfriendly demonstrations, will alight on his 

 knee or shoulder if a bit of food is placed thereon, but show 

 much shyness and suspicion at the presence of a cat or dog. 

 The bluejays and several species of woodpeckers are occa- 

 sional visitors to the farmer's garden trees or else to the 



