s placed at the foot of a bush, with a scanty lining
of withered leaves. Four eggs of light drab, buffy or cream color,
sometimes of light brown, are laid, and the breast of the female is
found to be bare of feathers when engaged in rearing the young. The
Lesser Yellow legs breeds in central Ohio and Illinois, where it is
a regular summer resident, arriving about the middle of April, the
larger portion of flocks passing north early in May and returning
about the first of September to remain until the last of October.

A nest of this species of Snipe was found situated in a slight
depression at the base of a small hillock near the border of a prairie
slough near Evanston, Illinois, and was made of grass stems and
blades. The color of the eggs in this instance was a deep grayish
white, three of which were marked with spots of dark brown, and the
fourth egg with spots and well defined blotches of a considerably
lighter shade of the same.

[Illustration: From col. F. M. Woodruff.
YELLOW LEGS.]

[Illustration: From col. F. M. Woodruff.
SKY LARK.]

THE SKYLARK.

This is not an American bird. I have allowed his picture to be taken
and placed here because so many of our English friends desired it.

The skylark is probably the most noted of birds in Europe. He is found
in all of the countries of Europe, but England seems to claim it. Here
it stays during the summer, and goes south in the winter.

Like our own Meadow Lark, he likes best to stay in the fields. Here
you will find it when not on the wing.

Early in the spring the Skylark begins his song, and he may be heard
for most of the year.

Sometimes he sings while on the ground, but usually it is while he is
soaring far above us.

Skylarks do not often seek the company of persons. There are some
birds, you know, that seem happy only when they are near people. Of
course, they are somewhat shy, but as a rule they prefer to be near
people. While the Skylark does not seek to be near persons, yet it is
not afraid of them.

A gentleman, while riding through the country, was surprised to see
a Skylark perch on his saddle. When he tried to touch it, the Lark
moved along on the horse's back, and finally dropped under the horse's
feet. Here it seemed to hide. The rider, looking up, saw a hawk flying
about. This explained the cause of the skylark's strange actions.

A pair of these Larks had built their nest in a meadow. When the