on the Nesting of the Crested Lark.



-79



and friend. Wise Old Mother Nature was whispering in their

ear. Yes, with the experience of a thousand thousand years she

was telling them what to do and how to do it. The three little

Larks were sitting up in their nest in an almost erect position,

facing one another with their breasts pressed closely together.

Their wide beaks were pointing upwards almost vertically and

also pressed closely together, thus forming' the apex ot a cone.

Their necks were retracted, thus bringing the thick tufts of down

and feathers on the crown and back together, and their wings —

by this time showing quill leathers — were held closely to their

sides. If my description has been sufliciently clear, you will

at mice grasp the meaning and object of those tufts, you will

realize that each little back formed a cleverly- designed water¬

shed, and you will understand why rain does not. kill young

Larks. When the North American Indian sticks three poles in

the ground, lashes their tops together and throws a skin over

this framework he makes a “ tepee,” and we regard the “ tepee”

as the product of his inventive faculty. But evidently the

“tepee” is an old idea — as old as the hills. Long before the

Indian set foot on the New World “tepees” were being erected

on the wide Campo of Southern Spain, on the vast Steppe of

Central Asia — by the Carreicra !


Although the Coneteras did not think it necessary to brood

their young closely, they used to feed them most diligently, and

were extremely careful never to approach the nest when anyone

was near the aviary. Once or twice I waited as long as half-an-

liour to see the young fed, but always in vain. Under such cir¬

cumstances most birds who are feeding young will fuss about

for some time and then even risk taking a beak I u 1 of live-bait to

the nest under your observation, or else will throw the aforesaid

live-bait away in a petulant manner. But not so the Crested

Larks. I was much amused by the extremely sensible, patient

and methodical way in which they faced the situation. They

simply retired to a little distance, taking a nice plump maggot

with them, squatted down on a convenient ledge and waited.

The expiration of half-an-hour would find them in the sell same

position still treasuring the same fat maggot. No doubt in the

very open country, which they select for their nesting quarters,



