THE PRAIRIE HORNED LARK. 337 



powers, although rather pleasing to the ear are apparently not equal to those of 

 the latter. Early in the season the female also makes these aerial ascents occa- 

 sionally, not to such great heights, however, as the male ; but as soon as she 

 begins housekeeping she becomes more quiet and retiring, her maternal duties 

 taking- up her entire time. On the whole, all of our Horned Larks are rather 

 gentle and amiably disposed birds, rarely quarreling with each other excepting 

 during the mating season, when suitors for the same female indulge in occasional 

 bickerings, which never amount to anything serious, one or the other shortly 

 giving way. Rivals generally begin by chasing each other on the ground until 

 the pursued takes wing, when his opponent quickly follows and dashes against and 

 fights him in the air until one or the other retreats. The victorious suitor then 

 quickly returns to his coveted mate and struts before her with raised ear tufts and 

 trailing wings, very much in the same manner as the English Sparrow. These 

 small tufts of black feathers directly over the eyes are readily erected, and look, 

 at a distance, like little horns, and the name of Horned Lark is due to this fea- 

 ture. They are generally raised when any suspicious object approaches. In 

 winter, when the ground is covered with snow, these birds become very tame 

 and gentle, and may often be seen feeding in small flocks in the streets and 

 among the poultry in the barnyards, merely hopping a foot or two to one side to 

 let one pass. 



The Prairie Horned Lark is one of our earliest birds to nest, and I have 

 been informed that nests containing eggs have been found in the vicinity of Mil- 

 waukee, Wisconsin, by February 23. An average nest of this species, now before 

 me, taken near Fort Snelling, Minnesota, by Dr. E A. Mearns, United States 

 Army, on June 8, 1890, measures 4 inches in outer diameter by If inches in 

 depth, and the inner cup is 2^ inches in width by 1 inch in depth. An occasional 

 nest is lined with a few horsehairs or fine grass roots. 



Two and occasionally tlii'ee broods are I'aised in a season, and incubation, 

 which lasts about fourteen days, is, I believe, about equally shared by both sexes; 

 the young are also cared for by both parents; they grow rapidly and leave the 

 nest before they are able to fly well. The male usually takes care of them, 

 pointing out suitable food, but does not feed them; they have to pick it up, and 

 soon learn to provide for themselves. They utter a faint "peep-peep" while 

 feeding, and before the}^ can fly well they hide among the grass and weeds at 

 the alarm note of their parents. Many nests and young are yearly destroyed 

 by cattle stepping on them, and by prowling cats and vermin, and, although 

 this subspecies is very prolific, it is doubtful if more than a single brood from each 

 pair reaches maturity. 



From three to five eggs are laid to a set, usually three or four, sets of five 

 being rarely found. These eggs resemble those of the preceding subspecies in 

 shape and color, but are somewhat smaller and usually slightly lighter colored. 

 In a set of four eg'gs taken by Mr. Henry Fisher, near Maywood, Illinois, on 

 May 24, 1879, the ground color is suffused with a pale lavender tint, and one of 

 the eggs shows a rather large, irregular blotch of pale j^urple on the side. 



16896— No. 3 22 



