Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1917-07-19
The MedaIist Of The Meadow.

Whenever see meadow lark posed
on prominent perch in the bright SUM-
light, wonder how he came by the
meadow he so proudly displays, with
commands to "See See Oh. see what
| have onl"
The meadow lark is a companionable
bird. Spring after spring we children
welcomed his rousing Spring O. the
year !' yodel, and then trudged an Iowa
country road to and from school TO his
mischievous chant OF al see see see
your petticoat 70 as he stood craning his
head from the grass Of the near by pasture,
or from more elevated stone or post or
bush.
The river meadow was favorite play
ground, which the birds generously
shared with us, il we kept a respectful
distance. One day in early spring we
noticed several meadow larkS acting
strangely there. Each stood for a short
time with IFS head close to the ground
and IFS beak thrust into the soft earth
then If lifted its head, took step, and
buried its bill again. We followed them
and found many little holes in the moist
ground, as If a pencil had been poked
into il here and there. We thought they
were drinking. but since then have ac-
cepted Maj. Bendire's explanation OF
such borings by the Western meadow
lark as search for buried insect eggs
and larvae. II the meadow lark begins
feeding on such pests before they can
get awing, he deserves still larger
medal
The spring when first taught at a
country school | made the intimate
acquaintance of meadowlark family.
For week or two one OF the birds had
been practicing his piccoIo on the fence.
There he would sit, on apost near dog
wood clump, in a sort Of enraptured
ecstasy, with head raised and beak point
ed skyward, running over his musical
yodel-a clear, ringing, flutelike whistle
repeated adlibitum, with short rhetorical
pause between phrases.
One morning, TO see what he would
do, mimicked him. He dropped his
head and glanced about.
"Quit! quitP' he sputtered 10 himself,
twitching his tail nervousIy. Then he
turned his back and, flashing indignation
with his white tail feathers, dived into
the grass He crept out of sight like a
flustered field mouse, scolding musically
10 himself even when hidden.
When passed by later, he was fluting
as before. ! mimicked him again. He
cooked his ear, but did not fly away, and
when called second time lie located
the source OF the disturbance. He flew
to the next post farther on, and sang
again. But in shifting posts, he had
changed songs this one was two notes
short and with a questioning lift at the
close.
Soon we were good friends, and he
often flew on ahead Of me, from post TO
post, for some little distance. Usually
he would sing the same song all the way,
but occasionally he would change keys,
or end a phrase abruptly, or vary the
close with chuckle just loud enough 10
be hear near by.
One day, after long search, found
the nest, scant twenty feet from the
dogwood. My plan was to take a few
steps, then look for anything that ap-
peared unusual. AT last noticed a slight
in the fresh grass, like a faint
pathway. II was more than a foot in
length, and ended abruptly in a TUT OF
grass beside stone. stopped to investi-
gate and met the bright eyes OF brooding
meadow lark. She sat close for an IN
stant, then sprang up with an alarmed
ouit-t-t-t-t! and ran down the little path
while getting under way for her quail
like spring into the air. Her mate, who
had fingered about quiet and suspicious,
joined her, ard they flew away tut-tutting
to each other.
There were four eggs, white with
brown signatures round the
larger end, resting on soft grassy bed.
The mother, an artist in her own right,
had bunowed into the tuft from the side,
giving the cradle an arched, matted roof
and well-csrpeted floor.
The young that hatched out week
later were ugly beings-lumpish, over
large, clad in ragged, scanty brownish-
gray Canton flannel pyiamas and with
long flesh -colored beaks lined with bright
red that showed up we'll at feeding time.
For several days their eyes were blinded
by thin. Opaque membrane; until they
could see they seemed unconscious OF
my presence. but as soon as they got
their sight they showed fear and resent
ment in a unique manner. Each one
would crouch down with its eyes closed,
its covering OF mixed down and feathers
bristling, and its head drawn back be-
tween its shoulders and pressed closely
10 the breast and in place of a harmless
nesting would be good imitation Of a
defiant box tortoise.
Gradually the babies feathered into a
graceful, meadow-lsrkish appearance,
and became extremely Handy with their
feet" Before they could fly, they had
the pretty family Characteristic
Of stepping daintiIy along with The head