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138

March 8, Sunday.

This morning after breakfast I went over to the Hemlocks. Prairie Horned Lark were heard all over and were in full song. They seemed to prefer a pasture covered with short grass which is not bushy.

I did not find them where there were any number of trees. The males sang from the fence posts and little hillocks and fights were of frequent occurence. This fights do not amount to much however for one would chase the other for half a mile or more and then the matter was dropped along with the birds. Probably this chasing was as

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much play as any thing else. They twisted and turned and dodged wheeling about now fifty feet in the air and now barely missing the short grass. The generally flew in large circles and sometimes lit near where they started. Frequently others joined in the chase and it was exciting to see them anticipate every turn of the pursued while going at full speed. I do not think that many of the females have arrived yet.

Was sitting down on the railroad track when I heard a queer bird note from a hedgerow beyond Fullmers.