NATURAL HISTORY. 



291 



Sub-family/. . . Alaudince. 

 ALAUDA. (Lat. a Lark.) 



Arvensis (Lat. belonging to the Jidds), the Skylark. 







resting story is told of a Skylark that was taken out to America 

 by a poor emigrant, and which tised to collect crowds of 

 delighted listeners round its cage. An English settler who 

 happened to be passing by while the bird was singing, was 

 so affected by the reminiscences which its song called up, that 

 he offered his horse and cart for the bird, on the spot. The 

 owner, however, would take no price for it, although most 

 extravagant offers were made, and kept it till his death. The 

 bird afterwards passed into other hands, but refused to sing 

 until its cage was hung up in the open air. After its death, 

 its skin was sent back to its native land, and is now stuffed, 

 seated in its old cage, with a suitable inscription attached. 



The nest is made on the ground, frequently in the print of 

 a horse's foot, and contains five eggs of a greenish-white, 

 thickly spotted with brown. There are generally two broods 

 in the year, one in May, and the other in July or August. 

 Immense numbers of these birds are caught annually and 

 sent to the London markets. Dunstable is the most cele- 

 brated place for them. It does not at all agree with the sense 

 of justice, that these beautiful birds, who charm us with their 

 voices, should be killed lo increase the pleasures of the table. 



