4 Trans. Acad. Sci. of St. Louis 
as if formed of one undulating expanse of dark granite, cov- 
ered with mosses and lichens, varying in size and color, some 
green, others as white as snow, and others again of every tint, 
and disposed in large patches or tufts. It is on the latter that 
the lark places her nest, which is disposed with so much care, 
while the moss so resembles the bird in hue, that unless you 
almost tread upon her as she sits, she seems to feel secure, and 
remains unmoved. Should you, however, approach so near, 
she flutters away, feigning lameness so cunningly, that none 
but one accustomed to the sight can refrain from pursuing her. 
The male immediately joins her in mimic wretchedness, utter- 
ing a note so soft and plaintive, that it requires a strong 
stimulus to force the naturalist to rob the poor birds of their 
treasure. 
“The nest around is imbedded in the moss to its edges, which 
is composed of fine grasses, circularly disposed, and forming a 
bed about two inches thick, with a lining of grous’ feathers, 
and those of other birds. In the beginning of July the eggs 
are deposited. They are four or five in number, large, greyish, 
and covered with numerous pale blue and brown spots. The 
young leave the nest before they are able to fly, and follow 
their parents over the moss, where they are fed for about a 
week. They run nimbly, emit a soft peep, and squat closely 
at the first appearance of danger. If pursued, they open their 
wings to aid them in their escape, and separating, make off 
with great celerity. On such occasions it is difficult to secure 
more than one of them, unless several persons be present, when 
each can pursue a bird. The parents all this time are following 
the enemy overhead, lamenting the danger to which their 
young are exposed. In several instances the old bird followed 
almost to our boat, alighting occasionally on a projecting crag 
befor =e, and entreating us, as it were, to restore its offspring.” 
Swainson and Richardson (1831) did not add to this account. 
Samuels (1887) and Baird, Brewer and Ridgway (1875) quote 
Audubon though the latter add that Nutall ‘‘started a Shore 
Lark from her nest on the banks of the Platte. It was in a 
small depression on the ground and was made of bent grass and 
lined with coarse bison hair’’, (undoubtedly 0. a. praticola or 
0. a. leucolema). Nutall (1832) himself gives an account very 
similar to that of Wilson. In an earlier edition, Baird, Brewer 
