CROW RELATIVES 



liable to run across them now and then in winter, in 

 open fields, especially with flocks of Snow Buntings. 

 There is also a pale Western form of this species called 

 the Prairie Horned Lark. This occasionally breeds 

 with us anywhere in the East, frequenting dry fields 

 and barren pastures or hillsides. If one see a pale, 

 bleached-looking lark, look out, for it is something 

 worth while! A pair stopped one spring late in April 

 about two miles from where I live. Ned kept track of 

 them for me and often heard their sweet warbled songs. 

 We surely thought they were intending to breed and 

 spend the summer, but in two weeks they disappeared. 

 In these same fields the Meadowlark is found, fairly 

 commonly, but not as much so as it used to be. For- 

 merly it was hunted as game, but now it is protected 

 as one of our most valuable destroyers of grubs and 

 insects that damage the grass land. About the middle 

 of May they have eggs in a well-concealed nest in a 

 bunch of dry grass, arched over on top. The male is 

 very watchful and gives his sitting wife the alarm when 

 he sees anyone coming, and at once she sneaks ofiF 

 without flying directly from the nest. Consequently 

 the nest is very hard to find. But now and then I 

 have taken the sentinel off his guard, especially in the 

 evening, and by mere chance flushed the female from 

 her eggs when I had almost trodden upon her. The 

 farmer in mowing his fields is the most apt of anyone 

 to find this hid treasure, for the bird often rears two 

 broods, the last even as late as July or August. One 



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