MEADOW LARK. 219 



males may sometimes be seen engaged in fierce conflict, although these 

 frays seldom last more than a few moments. The sight of a single female 

 at once changes their occupation, and after her they all fly off as if mad. 

 The female exhibits the usual timidity of her sex, that timidity without 

 which, even in Meadow Larks, she would probably fail in finding a mate. 

 As he flies towards her, uttering the softest of his notes, she moves off in 

 such a manner that her ardent admirer often seems doubtful whether she 

 means to repel or encourage him. At length, however, he is permitted to 

 go nearer, to express by his song and courteous demeanour the strength 

 and constancy of his passion. She accepts him as her lord, and in a few 

 days both are seen busily searching for an appropriate spot in which to 

 rear their young. 



At the foot of some tuft of tall strong grass you find the nest. A ca- 

 vity is scooped out of the ground, and in it is placed a quantity of grass, 

 fibrous roots, and other materials, circularly disposed so as to resemble an 

 oven, around which leaves and the blades of the surrounding grasses are 

 matted together so as to cover and conceal it. The entrance admits only 

 one at a time, but both birds incubate. The eggs are four or five, pure 

 white, sprinkled and blotched with reddish-brown, mostly towards the 

 larger end. The young are out towards the end of June, and follow their 

 parents for some weeks afterwards. These birds are unremitting in their 

 attention towards each other, and in the care of their oflTspring, and while 

 the female sits, the male not only supplies her with food, but constantly 

 comforts her by his song and the watchfulness which he displays. Should 

 one approach the nest, he immediately rises on wing, passes and repasses 

 in circles over and around the spot in which the nest is, and thus fre- 

 quently leads to the hidden treasure. 



Excepting hawks and snakes, the Meadow Lark has few enemies at 

 this season. The prudent and enlightened farmer, mindful of the benefit 

 his meadows have received from the destruction of thousands of larvae, 

 which might have greatly injured his grass, disturbs it not, and should he 

 find its nest while cutting his hay, he leaves the tuft in which it is placed. 

 Even young children seldom destroy this bird or its brood. 



It must not, however, be supposed that the Meadow Lark is entirely 

 harmless. In the Carolinas, many well instructed planters agree in de- 

 nouncing it as a depredator, alleging that it scratches up oat seeds when 

 sown early in spring, and is fond of plucking up the young corn, the 

 wheat, the rye, or the rice. 



