572 SHORE LARK. 



from pursuing her. The male immediately joins her in mimic wretched- 

 ness, uttering a note so soft and plaintive, that it requires a strong stimu- 

 lus 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 com- 

 posed 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 about a 

 week. They run nimbly, emit a soft peep, and squat closely at the first 

 appearance of danger. If observed and 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 

 us almost to our boat, aligliting occasionally on a projecting crag before 

 us, and entreating us, as it were, to restore its offspring. By the first of 

 August many of the young are fully fledged, and the different broods are 

 seen associating together, to the number of forty, fifty, or more. They 

 now gradually remove to the islands of the coast, where they remain until 

 their departure, which takes place in the beginning of September. They 

 start at the dawn of day, proceed on their way south at a small elevation 

 above the water, and fly in so straggling a manner, that they can scarcely 

 be said to move in flocks. 



This species returns to Labrador and the adjoining islands in the be- 

 ginning of June. The males are then so pugnacious and jealous of their 

 females, that the sight of one of their own sex, instantly excites them to 

 give battle ; and it is curious to observe^ that no sooner does one of these 

 encounters take place, than several other males join in the fray. They 

 close, flutter, bite, and tumble over, as the European Sparrow is observed to 

 do on similar occasions. Several times while in Labrador, I took advantage 

 of their pugnacious disposition, and procured two or three individuals at a 

 shot, which it is difficult to do at any other time. Several pairs breed in the 

 same place, but not near each other. The male bird sings sweetly while 

 on wing, although its song is comparatively short. It springs from the 

 moss or naked rock obliquely, for about forty yards, begins and ends its 



