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* 
