BIRDS OF FIELD AND GARDEN. 317 



storms it becomes quite domesticated, and seeks food along 

 roads and about dooryards and poultry houses ; but ordinarily 

 the Lark is a shy bird, and keeps well out of gunshot in the 

 open fields. This species has learned caution in the north 

 because of continual persecution by gunners ; but I have 

 seen Meadowlarks as tame as Sparrows in the pine barrens 

 of southern Florida. 



The Lark is a bird of the meadows, as its name implies ; 

 but it also frequents dry fields, and sometimes may be seen 

 perched high in a tree on some 

 hilltop, from which it sings its 

 clear refrain. Old fields are 

 favorite nesting places, probably in 

 part because the dead and uncut 

 grass offers concealment for the nest, 

 and in part because in such fields the 

 nest is undisturbed by the mower. 

 This bird is an adept at concealing 

 its nest, which sometimes has a cov- 

 ered approach. It resorts to strata- ^'^'T.Iv^y^^' 

 gem to puzzle the searcher. When Fig- 141.— Meadowiark, 



, , j. n j, one-half Datural size. 



the female comes from or goes to 



the nest she often runs through the grass for some distance, 

 and seldom flies to it directly. Mrs. Irene G. Wheelock, 

 in recording her attempts to find a nest, states that the male 

 carried butterflies and dragon flies time after time to a point 

 one hundred yards from the nest, in an apparent attempt to 

 befool the searcher. 



Its flight is an alternation of fluttering and slow sailing, 

 and it usually shows its white tail feathers often, especially 

 on rising and alighting. When on the ground it does not 

 hop like the Robin, but walks more like the Crow, occasion- 

 ally opening and closing its tail, showing the white feathers 

 conspicuously. 



Its common alarm note is a rather sharp chatter, not loud, 

 but shrill, which often follows or precedes a long, pierc- 

 ing call. The ordinary song is a rather plaintive but pleas- 

 ing whistle of a few notes, the last usually held for several 

 seconds. This song is uttered either from the ground, from 



