206 
ORDERS OF BIRDS 
PERCHERS AND SINGERS 
THE HORNED LARK FAMILY. 
Alaudidae. 
There is a Lark Family which we regret to say 
does not include the meadow-lark; for this sepa- 
ration of birds bearing the same general name 
tends to create confusion. In Europe the Lark 
Family is a very large one, and contains about a 
hundred species, the most celebrated of which is 
the unfortunate skylark. It is unfortunate be- 
cause of the wholesale and heartless manner in 
which it is caught and kept in pitiful captivity 
as a “cage-bird.” In London these wretched 
little creatures are sold by the thousand, some- 
times at sixpence each, or even less. 
Strange to say, in America the Lark Family 
is represented by only twelve species and sub- 
species, of which the Horned Lark or Shore 
Lark’ is the best type. It is called “Horned” 
Lark because of a small, pointed tuft or brush 
of feathers which lies along the side of the head 
above the eye, pointing backward and thrusting 
its tip through the regular outline of the back 
of the head. The resemblance of these points 
to horns is quite far-fetched, but it seems to 
have been brought in to stay. 
This bird looks very much like a small plover. 
Our eastern species is by habit a shore-bird, 
whence its second name. It comes to us in 
winter, in flocks of from six to twenty individ- 
uals, and at that season its plumage' is not so 
bright and pleasing as in spring. 
The West and Southwest are inhabited by 
nine subspecies of Horned Larks, ranging all 
the way from Mexico to British Columbia, some 
of them necessarily living in hot countries, and 
far from large bodies of water. 
THE FLYCATCHER FAMILY. 
Tyrannidae. 
There are many little birds, in size next above 
the sparrows, which look as if they ought to sing; 
1 O-toc'o-ris al-pes'tris. Length, 7.50 inches. 
but in reality they do not. They are very ex- 
pert at catching insects, however, and nothing 
that flies can escape them in mid-air. These 
birds make up the Family of Flycatchers, and 
to the farmers of this country every flycatcher 
is worth double its weight in pure silver. Alto- 
gether there are about thirty species. 
The Kingbird^ also called the Bee “Martin” 
and Bee-Bird, may well stand as the repre- 
sentative of this Family. Whenever you see a 
small bird swiftly and actively chasing a large 
crow in mid-air, darting down upon the back of 
the black fellow every hundred feet or so, with 
a peck that sends a thrill of life along his keel, 
you may know that the gallant little warrior is 
a Kingbird, and it is driving the crow away from 
the vicinity of its nest. The performance is like 
that of a man and a mad hornet. The crow 
thinks not of battle, but only of getting on in 
the world, and giving the nestlings of his tor- 
mentor a good square mile of crowless space in 
which to grow. 
Look long enough, and you will see the King- 
bird return from the chase, perch on his favorite 
dead limb at the edge of the field, smooth his 
feathers and renew his watch for flying in- 
sects. Presently you will see him dart from 
his perch, swoop to a certain point in space, 
and then return to his place. He has caught 
some flying insect, and like Oliver, “wants some 
more.” 
Never shoot a Kingbird. It is easier to “iden- 
tify the species” on the wing than lying dead, 
all shot to pieces. Without killing this most 
courageous of all birds — which can whip almost 
anything that wears feathers, but attacks 
only crows and hawks — you can see that its 
colors are bluish-gray, trimmed with black and 
white. 
The Crested Flycatcher, the dear little Phcehe- 
Bird, and the Wood-Pewee belong to the Fly- 
catcher Family. 
2 Ty-ran'nus ty-ran'nus. Length, 8 inches. 
