450 
BIRDS OF NEW MEXICO 
at about 7,500 feet near Taos, where old ones with young were noted in early July 
1904 (Bailey); and to 8,000 feet at Hails Peak (Barber). Most of the eggs are laid 
between May 15 and June 15; [between Roswell and Fort Sumner, young were noted 
June 20, 1918 (Ligon) ]. During 1913, none were seen on the west slope of the Sacra¬ 
mento Mountains, nor in crossing the range by way of Cloudcroft, but when the 
4,000-foot level was reached on the lower Penasco June 19, they were found common 
with young already out of the nest. They were abundant thence to Roswell and up 
the Pecos to Santa Rosa, and less common to Glorieta July 11. Near Santa Rosa, 
July 8, many nests contained eggs of the second sets (Ligon). 
After the young are fully grown both old and young wander up the mountain 
sides to the summits of the highest peaks. One was taken July 28, 1903, at 12,000 
feet on Pecos Baldy, and a flock seen August 20, 1904, at 13,300 feet on Culebra 
Peak (Bailey). 
The species is more numerous in New Mexico during the winter than in the 
summer. Near Koehler Junction it was the commonest bird on the open prairie, 
July 28-October 24, 1913 (Kalmbach). In Union County, it was very abundant, 
November 5, 1915, and at the south end of the San Mateo Mountains abundant 
on open mesas and ridges, December 7-10, 1915 (Ligon); on the Carlsbad Bird 
Reserve it was seen in January, 1915; noted during the winter of 1915-1916 [and 
abundant in December, 1916 (Willett) J.—W. W. Cooke. 
Nest. —A slight depression in the ground, often at the base of a tuft of grass, lined 
with a few blades of grass. Eggs: Usually 3, mostly gray, sometimes with a faint 
greenish tinge, profusely sprinkled and blotched with shades of pale brown. An 
occasional set is more evenly and lightly colored, producing a uniform pale gray 
appearance. 
Food. —Vegetable matter, 79.4 per cent, of which nearly six-sevenths are weed 
seed, and 20.6 per cent insects, including such pests as May beetles, and their larvae 
(white grubs), leaf beetles, clover-leaf and clover-root weevils, alfalfa weevils, the 
potato-stalk borer, nut weevils, caterpillars, bill bugs, and the chinch bug. Cutworms 
are freely eaten and grasshoppers are a favorite food. In Colfax County, July 28- 
October 24, they made up 69 per cent (Kalmbach). “The Horned Lark by its 
services to agriculture earns a right to live, and deserves protection at the hands of 
man” (McAtee). 
General Habits. —The Horned Larks, of whatever subspecies, 
with their protective earth colors and handsomely contrasting black 
horns and shields are wayside friends of the traveler over the arid 
plains, their quiet unsuspecting ways and their cheery songs being 
doubly appreciated where all other birds have been left behind. On 
the brown plains of northeastern New Mexico they were actually the 
only birds that we saw at a distance from water, although when even 
a small pool was encountered, meadowlarks might be added to our 
list. But while the larks seem independent of water, their food is so 
largely weed seed that they lack the supply of moisture afforded insect 
eaters and must know where to go to drink. On the San Juan River 
of the Navajo Reservation, French Gilman found a place where the 
water spread out and made several small streams, which proved a 
favorite watering place for them. Flock after flock came to drink 
every day, he says. The springs on the mesas and plains were also 
frequented by them in great numbers. 
