BIRDS OF THE SEASON 13 



the colours, seen as he runs persistently along the 

 ground in front of an intruder, are uniformly dull and 

 grey. He is lighter on the breast, with pale yellow 

 and black toward the neck, and the small projecting 

 points of feathers over his eyes have given him his 

 name. The black tail is a conspicuous mark of 

 identification for both males and females. The 

 Horned Lark nests on the ground, sometimes even 

 choosing a sheltered spot on the roadside. In spite 

 of this open confidence, and his apparent indifference, 

 at a respectful distance, he does not become, like the 

 Bluebird, tolerant of familiarity on longer acquaint- 

 ance. His suspicions can never be set at rest, and 

 when he runs ahead along the ground no seductive 

 coaxing can induce him to permit a nearer approach. 

 But he calls so early in the spring and attends so 

 willingly to his own affairs that he can be forgiven 

 for even the deplorable offence of suspicion. 



