THE SKY-LARK. 



181 



All the various membei'S of this family are stoutly built, with large 

 heads, beaks of short or moderate length, long and very broad wings, 

 short tails, and rather flat feet; th-e tail, which is by no means large, is 

 -coinposed of twelve feathers, evenly cut oS* at their extremity. The 

 pkuaage is of a bwwnish shade, i»early alike in tho two sexes, but 

 varying considerably as tJie birds iiicrease in age. The internal structure 

 <»f tiie body differs in no essential particular from that of other Passeres, 

 The siuo;iug apparatus is well developedj, aiid the luiigs iwe large. 



8H0BT TOZD XAEK. 



THE SKY-LARK, 



The Slvy-larlc forms its nest on the gtxyund, generally between two 

 elods of earth, and lines it with dried grass and i-oots. The female lays 

 four or five eggs, M'hich are hatched in abmit a fortnight; and s^e gen- 

 erally produces two broods in the year. When hatcli^d, the «iolher 

 Avatches over them with a truly maternal aflTectlon ; she may then besee« 

 fluttering over their heads, dii^eciing their anoti-ons, anticipating their 

 wants, and guaj-ding them from <langer. 



The instinctive warmth of attachment which the female Sky-lark 

 bears towards her own species, often discovers itself at a very early 

 period, and even before she is capable of becoming a mother; which 

 might be supposed to precede, in the order of nature, the maternal 

 solicitude. "In the month of May (says M. de Buffon) a young ben- 

 bird was brought to me, which was not able to feed without assistance. 

 I caused her to be educated ; and she was hardly fledged, when T 

 received from another place a nest of three or foi^r unfledged Sky- 

 larks. She took a strong liking to these new comers, which were 

 scarcely younger than herself; she tended them night and day, 

 cherished them beneath her wings, and fed them with her bill. No- 

 bbing could interrupt her tender offices. If the young-ones were torn 

 from her she flew to them as soon as she was liberated, and woul«J 



